Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-25
LIQUOR QUESTION
CAUSES 90. P. NO
LITTLE WORRY
(The Atlanta journal News Bureau)
623 Riggs Building.
RYf WHEODORE TTTLER

WASHINGTON, March 24.-Denial
that the prohibition enforcement laws
are being more vigorously enforced
in the north than in the south, as
charged and insinuated by certain
Republican members of congress who
are talking of a congressional in
vestigation, was made today by John
Kramer, prohibition commissioner.
Mr.. Kramer said the law is not being
enforced to make it obnoxious" as
alleged by Representative Dallinger,
of Massachusetts, nor is there any
sectionalism in its enforcement. Mr..
DalIinger is one. of the Republicans
who supported prohibition to return
recently from his district, and while
there he is said to have heard consid-
cradle kicking.
"There is absolutely nothing in the
charge" said Commissioner Kramer.
The fact is that the best of our
revenue officers, L believe, have been
assigned to the southern districts.
The. best and most experienced men
have been sent down there. AS to
the activities of these men; J. think
our reports will show conclusively
that the southern officers have been
very active. probably more so than
L
to examine reports to make a COM
parison."
Commissioner Kramer referred to
recently published statistics covering
stills and bootleggers seized in North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Tennessee and other southern states.
Law Is Very Plain
Referring to the criticism Of Rep
reese ia tive DaIl;nger that the drastic
regulations far exceeded what those
| who voted for the law expected, Mr..
Kramer s:niiingly, but pointedly, eX-
| ,lained that the law was very pla1-l.
Mr.. Dallinger, for instance, said 1t
was never intended 10 prevent a man
from carrying Z bottle of his OWL
liquor for his personal use, that only
| transpor ia ton for sale was in his
mind when he voted dry"
81 think the law is quite positive
on that subject, and I think every
| one who reads it must admit it"
said Commissioner Kramer.
Liberal members of the house in
both parties are enjoying the "kick-
back" that is coming to Republican
members from the northern districts
where prohibition is new thing, and
| the reaction is under way against
| the drastic provisions of the Vol
stead law and the regulations issued
by the treasury department.
"The law is quite plain" comment
| ed Representative Coady, wet"
| MARYLAND member. ANY man who in
sists that the transportation or liquor
is not prohibited under the law itself
is either a fool or not stating the
truth. 1 thing if the law and the
regulations are read together, the
regulations instead of being more OPP
pressive than the law will be round
more liberal than the statute. Inc
law does not permit the Transported
ton of liquor for any purpose, even
| for personal use, from one ohme 10
| another.
members who stood here days aft
er days voting for these drastic pro-
visions and voting down amendments
offered by Representatives lgoe'
| steele. Gard and myself have no
right now to say they did not know
the law was to be so oppressive.
Republicans Worried
IT is we'll known here that the he
| publican leaders Of the house, VINO
were in control when the Volstead
law was passed, are becoming con-
| cerned over the sweeping effect OF
the legislation. They hear rumors OF
a. movement in the Democratic party
to put out a presidential ticket that
will be a, bit damp-not candidate
advocating repeal Of the law and the
return of the corner saloon, but one
who believes in light wines and beer
and a. liberalization of the Volstead
| law.
Such ticket unquestionably will
draw many voters in the ordinary
Republican states of New York, Con-
| necticut, Massachusetts, Ohio, New
| Jersey, Rhode Island and California.
Despite Mr.. Bryan political leaders
of both parties are beginning to be-
| lieve that it will be impossible to
keep the prohibition issue out Of both
| the presidential and congressional
| campaigns. A table has been pre-
| pared by one Of the Democratic pol
iticians in congress showing how
that party may at least win control
of congress, if not the White House,
by putting forward candidates who
| are just a bit moist and passing the
word along to pivotal states that the
Volstead law will be amended.
| Representative Dallinger's COM
| plant about the too rigid interpre-
tation of the law goes along with
privately uttered mutterings by Re-