The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-03-29
WEAKLEY CLEARS
 UP FEATURES OF
 PROHIBITION LAW
Replying to Ned Brace Ar ticle Author of Laws Says They Are Entirely
 Practical
To the Editor of The Age-Heral

To the Editor of The Age Herald:
 l read with interest your article en- titled, "Ned Brace Talks About Liquor Laws and Some of Those Who Evade Them" appearing in The Age-Herald Of Sunday, March Is, 1919, signed by Ned Brace, which I understand to be the pen name of MT. E. ". Barrett, editor ot The Age-Herald.
 There has been a good deal of writing of late in the newspapers in reference to the prohibition law approved by GOV ernor Kilby on January 25, 1919, some times called the bone dry prohibition law, and sometimes called in the papers ''Weakley Prohibition Law" I have re- trained until now from commenting upon the expressions of opinion that have ap- peared concerning said law and l would not write now, except for the fact that Ned Brace has drawn me into the dis cussion by speaking of what he calls Every foolish laws" passed by the Ala bama legislature, and which were drawn by very ardent and impractical pro- hibition attorney. It has been so gen. orally stated in the papers and is so gen orally known that l have written all the prohibition laws of statewide extent placed upon the statute books of Ala bama from .9O7 to the present time, that the reference to me would not have beer more clear in the article if my name had been used and had been called by name the impractical attorney" or "imprac- tioable prohibition attorney"
 It is not clear to me whether the wore sinpractical'' was intended to apply to me asl an attorney generally or to me cnly as a writer of prohibition bills. In either event the use of the word touch es me in my business and profession and is therefore displeasing to me. Why you wish thus to bring me into the discussion of the law, I am not advised and l say nothing further about that feature of the article at the present time; but l do respectfully ask the privilege under the circumstances of being allowed to make through your columns, few comments that are suggested by your article
 Your admission in the article would seem to be at variance with the claim that the laws are very foolish and the author impra ctical, for you say: Pro hibition is a great thing for the young CT generation it is a particularly good thing for the younger generation Of, working people and business mem" anu again: q believe prohibition has worked great and lasting benefit in the BIT mingham district and in other sections, and I congratulate you upon haVmg found at last this much of value in the Alabama prohibition system.
 
 have recently appeared in the state pa . pers to the effect that still had been found in Lowndes county upon the farm belonging to a corporation. in which Dr. P. A. Baker superintendent of the National Anti-Saloon league, Is interested, and you add. "and under the Alabama laws the entire plantation is subject to confiscation,'' and then you say that eff the Colias store property on Second avenue. Birmingham, Ala, :, is to be confiscated then the entire farm of Dr. Baker must be confis- cated."
 I bold no brief for Dr. Baker or the corporation which owns the Lowndes county farm, but dare say Dr. Baker sswiIl be perfectly willing to have the property subjected to the same rules of law that are applied to any other property under the same state of facts. , Whether the Lowndes county property or the Co1ias property is to be con- r fiscafed has not yet been determined, and will depend upon the law as ap piled to the facts of each case. I do not undertake to forecast the ulti- mate decision of the supreme court in either case, nor would it be proper for me to express my own opinion as to the proper construction of the law .in those eases, because the supreme court at the9proper time will construe the law andsby it's decision everybody will be willing to decide.
 You also state that, although Dr. Ba- ker had no Knowledge of the existence of the still, and no one accused him of being a partner in the still. Under the Alabama laws the entire plantation is subject to confiscation." This construc- ton has never been placed upon the act by anyAcourt in the state and It is a question for court decision whetn- CT the actis capable of such a con- struction 1t certainly is not stated