The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1920-09-21
AHoLEY J0Es' SEEK TO CON.
troll COURTS.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2O.-A
committee was appointed Wednesday
at the Anti-Saloon League confer
ence here to draft resolution warm
ling Federal Judges that unless they
perform sacredly their sacred du-
ties" in enforcing prohibition laws
the league will seek their impeach-
ment.
The committee was named by the
Rev. P. A. Baker, general superin-
tendent of the league, after speakers
at the conference criticized Federal
Judges for alleged laxity in melting
out punishment to those convicted
of having violated the prohibition
amendment and enforcement law.
| Charges were made that certain
Judges had "coddled bootleggers and
mOOnshiners" and that prohibition
laws were being made ga farce" in
sections, by the light punishment.
Wayne B. Wheeler, general coun-
sci of the league, declared that the
warning to the Federal Judiciary
should be "clean-cut" and a notice
to all that official obligations must
be observed.
| There also were attacks on the
Internal Revenue Bureau for the is
suance of wholesalers permits.
The charges against Federal
Judges were precipitated by a state
ment of Atticus Webb, Texas League
Superintendent, who told the con-
ference that certain Judges in his
state had been releasing "known
bootleggers" with fines of $1OO, and
that such sentences had put all such
violators on notice to return to the
illegal traffic.
Certain Of those Judges coddle
the bootleggers and moonshiners
down there" Webb declared. ear
rests have been followed by light
fines in scores of cases and the GRIM
inals have gone back to make more.
1t is serious situation, and one that
all persons believing in proper law
administration should pay attention
to-"
Baker told the conference the way
out of the situation was "revOlu-
ton in this Judge business" and
named a committee to draft the or
ganization's policy resolution.
The conference was warned by
Peter Schneider, district superintend-
ent of the league in Toledo, Ohio,
that their revelations were "Only pro-
viding munitions for the wets," and
urged that such criticism be held to
the minimum. The reply received a
chorus of 'No. let's tell the whole
truth"
Criticism of the Bureau of Intern
| al Revenue were made by Samuel
Wilson the leagues attorney in New
Jersey, who declared Governor Ed
ward j. Edwards had "made good on
his promise to have his state as "wet
as the ocean," He said that en-
forcement of prohibition laws was
sat low tide" in New Jersey, be-
cause of a steady flow of liquor
through permits to wholesalers issued
by the Federal Government.
"You cannot dry a mOrass," he
continued, $50 long as streams flow
into it. And the United States Gov
eminent is letting liquor flow into
New Jersey through wholesale per-
mits, which we are powerless to
check"
The conference in it's discussions
evinced a determination that the
next Congress be made "dry and kept
dry" Speakers expressed the fear
that "the power of the vets is not
entirely downed," and unless a ma
jority is maintained in Congress fav-
orable to rigid enforcement it was
said, the prohibition code may be
changed
Administrative officers, it was in
dictated, also will be brought within
loo I r.
ers asserting that in great many
instances administrative officers
were not functioning to the satisfac-
ton of the drys. The proposal was
made that the League ''build fires
under those who betray the trust"
of their appointment. The opinion
was expressed that liquor interests
might seek to defeat the aim of the
law by obtaining the appointment of
officials, who "would wink at certain
I,indcD IF violations