New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-10-06
Hart Resigns
AS Dry Chief
OF N. Y. State
Work Distasteful, Salary of
$4,000 Not Sufficient.
He Declares, in Denying
Friction With Superiors
Arid City Not Impossible
500 Men and Years Fight
Needed, However; Consults
With Haynes and Blair

with Haynes and Blair
From, The 7rihn;c's Wushtroton Burean
WASHINGTON, Oct. 5.--Harold l..
Hart, Federal prohibition director for
New York State, tonight rendered his
resignation to Commissioner Of Internal
Revenue Blair and Prohibition Commits
sioner Haynes, with whom he had been
in series of telephone and personal
conferences during the day.
In q statement he issued after talk
with Commissioner Haynes late TO-
night Hart said that his resignation
was prompted by the fact that he was
unable to devote all his time to the
JOB at the salary of $4,000 a year. He
added that the work has been dis
tasteful to him from the outset OF his
administration. He denied emphatical-
ly that he had been asked to resign,
and declared that his relations with
the officials of the Bureau OF Internal
Revenue had always been pleasant.
Commissioner Blair issued thx
statement:
"Ihe resignation Of Harold L. Hart
Federal prohibition director for New
York, was rendered Wednesday eve
ming in person and is being considered
by Commissioners Blair and Hay1xs :"
Talks by Phone From New Yoxk
Hart and Commissioner Haynes had
| telephone talk early this afternoon.
which resulted in the former domirg
20 Washington at o'clock toni ght.
He went immediately into consultation
with Commissioners Blair and HAYNES
in the latter's office. The conference
adjourned without decision. Again
at 9 o'clock Hart and Commissioner
{ Haynes talked, and at $3.50 O'Clock the
/ formal statement Of consideration be-
ing given to the resignation was is
sued.
Before his return to New York City
tonight Hart made the following
statement:
Il have rendered my resignation as
Federal prohibition director for New
+ York State, and have asked that it be
accepted at once. The task has been
and is a most difficult one. I believe
we have made much neadway against
most serious obstacles. The situation
IS certainly starting to clear up It
requires, however, every moment of the
incumbent's time. This | cannot afford
- give at tie salary paid The work
has been distasteful to me from the
first, and do not care to continue in
it. l intend to take good vacation
and return to my law practice in the
city Of Binghamton."
The sending of the flying squadron
recently to New York City under E
{. Yellowley in an attempt to clean
up the city. was not considered q re-
Election upon the ability of his ad.
ninistration 10 handle the situation
Hart said. He denied that there had
ever been any friction between hin,
and the Washington authorities.
No Differences With Haynes
~ nave never differed with Com.
missioner Haynes in any Of the poll.
cies he has given out and / have at
tempted to follow mis- orders implic.
itly," Hart declared
Hart indicated that the task he was
confronted with in New York was
made more difficult by the consolda-
tion of the functions of the office
Until August he was only concerned
with the permissive end of the pro
hibition law, largely the issuance OF
permits for Withdrawals Of liquor
On August l, however, the enforce.
ment work also was placed under his
control, and the understanding thcr
was that he was to receive a salary
cf from $500 to $4,000 a year. The
prohibition bureau has refused to in.
crease the pay Of the office because oi
lack Of funds.
1t Will require the services of SOC
men constantly at work for an entire
year to make New York dry, Hart said
His present force comprises 200 men
With the special fly squadron OF
thirtyfve members.
"Any director who puts all his force
into the job, with 500 mon, within 9
year can make New York so dry that
the most ardent anti-saloon man will
be satisfied" Hart said. "You don'1
see one man drunk in New York Cit,
now where you formerly saw fifty.
know liquor in New vrk City is d fl
cult to get. When we did away with
the old permit known as Form B, we
hit at the heart Of the supply"
Form B was tho document which
wholesalcrs required for the with.
drawal Of liquors for medicinal uac
1t was Hart's opinion that much Of this
liquor was devoted to beverage pur-
UOEeS,