New-York tribune., 1919-06-13
Would Leave Dry
Enforcement to
Pal1ner's Office
Church Temperament Leader
Says Revenue Collectors
Would Not Strive for Pro-
hibition, but for Revenue
Ne.p York Tribune
WASHINGTON Bureau

Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, June 12.-Prohibi-
ton enforcement should be given to
the Department Of Justice and not to
the Treasury Department, as proposed
in enforcement bills thus far intre-
duced, DR.. Clarence True Wilson Of
the Board of Temperance of Methodist
Episcopal Church told the House
Judiciary Committee to-day.
Dr.. Wilson believed that if a prohibi-
ton commissioner were to be appointed
his appointment should rest with the
Attorney General. He said he spoke
for seven national temperance organi-
cations.
Prohibition enforcement would be
lax IT left in the hands of revenue col
lectors, DR.. Wilson said, because they
would have in mind the collection of
revenue and not the enforcement Of
prohibition.
"The greatest friends the liquor peo-
pie have had have been those in the
revenue collecting agency" he added.
The men whose business it is to deal
with the liquor people have come to be
their strongest defenders"
Lot of Trouble Foreseen
Wilbur F. Crafts of the National Re-
form League fully approved DR.. Will
sons suggestion. During the first year
or two there would be "lot of trouble
he said, and the Department of Justice
certainly is in the better position "to
handle trouble"
Dr. Crafts told the committee the
prohibitionists did not want one of their
number as prohibition commissioner.
But" he added, sit would not be
quite logical to have the man who asked
us to repeal the wartime prohibition
law appoint the prohibition commits
sioner."
DR.. Wilson asserted that any liquor
or patent medicine containing more
than h Of per cent of alcohol is "in
toxicating." Liquor should be defined
in the enforcement legislation as any
beverage containing alcohol, he be-
lieved.
"To define it as Il of l per cent i'm
plies that a physician must take q
chemist with him." he added.
DO not some soft drinks contain
alcohol" Representative Igoe, of Mis-
souri,, wanted to know
"If they contain alcohol they ought
not to be allowed to be sold as soft
drinks
Opposes U. s. Protection
DR.. Wilson believed that the citizens
setting up trade in liquor in foreign
countries should not be given the pro-
lection of the American flag. Brewers
and distillers are moving to China and
Mexico, he said, and a great deal of
trouble was certain to result along the
border unless some action was taken
by Congress.
would you prevent an American
citizen from taking drink in France ?"
Representative Walsh, of Massachu-
setts, asked.
"1t is not crime" DR.. Wilson re-
sponded.
"No," Walsh agreed, "but it will be
crime to have it in your possession
in this country if this bill is enacted"
DR.. Crafts told the committee, how
ever, that it could legislate to control
American citizens in China just as it
controlled the sale Of drugs by Amer
lean physicians there under the Har-
rison act.
He insisted that the vote of the
American Federation of Labor at At
lantic City, in favor of light ntoxi-
cants, did not actually represent the
view of labor, for he had been told that
the men from the prohibition states
did not vote on the roll-cal.