Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-06
TIGHT Lid |SPLAN
FOR LIQUOR TRADE
Revenue Bureau Chief Rig
idly to Enforce Constitu-
tionaI Prohibition.

pedIeQ Wnon CONSTITUTIONAL pIobi.
| bition becomes operative ten weeks
hence. for with 100000 and an act
of Congress behind him, Daniel c.
Roper. commissioner Of internal
revenue. is now getting ready to
clamp the lid down tight next Janu-
airy for all time to come, regardless
of whether wartime prohibition is
raised in the meantime.
A committee of eight has been ap-
pointed by the commissioner to or
ganize the prohibition enforcement
forces, and a Treasury Department
statement asserts that they are
thoroughly experienced in the en-
forcement of the laws with respect to
distilled and fermented liquors, and
especially qualified in the organization
and direction of law enforcement ma
chinery."
Personnel Of Committee.
The personnel of the committee fol-
lows: Deputy Commissioner H. M.
Gaylord, chairman; Revenue Agents
David A. Gates Of Arkansas; Thomas
E. Stone of Ohio, S. r. Brame of Vir-
ginia, Daniel ]. CAN'T of Georgia, DAN
iel L. Porter of New York and John L.
Considine of California. Judge
Charles ]. Orbison Of Indianapolis is
associated with the committee in an
advisory capacity.
In addition to studying the general
problem of prohibition enforcement
this committee will study the special
needs of various communities. Meth
DDS which may be followed success
fully in thinly populated sections Of
the south and west may not be
practicable in eastern industrial
centers with a large foreign popula-
ton.
Because of the familiarity of these
men with their work no lengthy in
vestigation will be necessary and a
report from them is expected by the
commissioner within the next ten
days.
Will Work With Local Officers.
In states and municipalities where
there are prohibition laws the federal
agents will work with the local au-
thorities, and local authorities will be
expected to take the initiative. If the
local executives are lax in this duty
Mr.. Roper has promised Ito bring to
the attention of the law-abiding citi-
zens the failure or dereliction Of local
authorities to assume their response
biiities under the new law"
Under the prohibition enforcement
act, which was passed over President
Wilson's veto, the commissioner Of
internal revenue and the Attorney
General are charged jointly to employ
needed assistants and make necessary
purchases to enforce the provisions Of
the act, and in addition to the $4,000
600 set aside for the commissioner,
there is an appropriation of 100000
now available for the Department of
Justice to use in prosecuting liquor
sellers. Notwithstanding the extra
work involved by the miners strike,
the department is not neglecting the
enforcement of the prohibition act, it
was said today, though the initiative
In filing information will generally be
taken by the internal revenue bureau.
OF Brief Duration.
Despite many rumors that the coun-
try will wake up early some morning
and find wartime prohibition thing
of the past, officials at the Department
Of Justice and the White House hold
out no such encouragement. They say
that President Wilson has, with the
approval of the Attorney General, con-
sistently maintained his position that
under the present law he could not
declare wartime Prohibition at an end
until the peace treaty has been rati-
fed. This, it is claimed, places the
whole question of the date for lifting
War-tim prohioition at the door OF
the Senate.
At the Treasury Department today
1t was said no suggestion had ever
been made through official channels
that the government buy up some IT,
10000 gallons Of whisky now in bond
and make some legitimate disposition
of 1t. 1t was pointed out in response
to questions that this could only be
done by specific act Of Congress and
the department does not expect to rec
ommend any such legislation.