The Washington times., 1921-03-10
LAW RULE
T0BECHANGED.
Drastic Reorganization Of En-
forcement Machine Coming
With New Officials.
BY w. II. ATKINS,
Internationsl News Service.

The dry" law machine today be-
gan 10 undergo sweeping changes in
personnel and methods. The pro-
cess OF partly dismantling the elabo-
rate code of rules was in progress,
pursuant to former Attorney Gen
eral Palmer's last decision liberal
izing" dry law regulations. Prohi-
bition Commissioner Kramer and his
chief aids are preparing their resig-
nations and the stage is being set
for an entirely new deal.
NEW BLOOD COMING.
New blood will be injectea into the
office Of the commissioner with new
and entirely different conceptions Of
applying the provisions of the Vol
stead law. There will be a rspid
clearing away OF a confusing mass
Of technical and legal obstacles. which
dry law defenders contend. have
hampered rather than helped the
cause OF enforcement
Speedy rebuilding of the prohibi-
tion bureau Of the Treasury Depart
ent and an entirely new construction
Of the various State organizations,
with new prohibition directors, may
be looked for as an early development.
Along with this reorganization, there
will be a number OF orders. though
by no means of the spectacular kind
designed to restrict dry agent stage
play"
Prohibition directors in every state
are ready to resign and make way for
their Republican successors, accord
ing to messages reaching the Treas
ury Department today. Commissioner
of Internal Revenue Williams sa,d the
inevitable clean sweep in officia, Ter-
sonnei probably would mean a light
setback in dry law enforcement An
nouncement of new Revenue Com
missioner is expected within few
days.
With the changes contemplated. >
slashing away of the amazing skein
OF red tape" which encumbers en-
forcement is regarded as a certainty
Officials. II is said. will no longer bs
enmeshed by rules that are not work
able. IL the new order OF things, as
now outlined, Is fulfilled. Those who
will direct the dry" machine have
definitely determined that the ianu-
merable regulations which seen, to
run counter to the plain intent of
Congress must go by the board.
These include all rules which appar-
emily have read into" the law by in
depreciation many things which OBJ
viously never was intended by Con-
gress and which former Attorney
General Palmer now holds are mani
testify Illegal.
Among the impractical rules which
will be "scrapped" is one limiting the
number of prescriptions which ply
sicians may issue to patients within
a given period. The Department OF
Justice holds that the dry law chiefs
are not given any discretion to deter
mine this matter. The superior
knowledge of doctors, as to their
legitimate needs, is upheld by the
Governments highest legal authority.
which says that the Government can
not legally superimpose restrictive
rules which are plainly invalid.
There also is to be an immediate
"scrapping" of various rulings issued
recently which have been objected to
by foreign governments. Notably
there is the ruling which sought to
keep out of American ports foreign
vessels having liquors aboard. The
British governments strong protest.
forced n reconsiderationNNof this de-
cision. framed by extra drys," and its
offensive provisions are now being
eliminated. as n result of steps taken
by the State Department.
Today's developments reflected both
a different type of personnel and
startling change in methods of ap-
plying the Try law, and in making
it's terms RESPECTED. The breaking up
of smuggling and Illicit distilling is
TO be the main objective of the new
heads in dry enforcement work.
"Hootch on tie hip" and more to an-
pretending the larger and more
grevious offenders.