Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-28

~i'~ o-it'-Sr-iCOil ied8ue ocAoIe luc Houar /
appropriation COMMITTEES. made public |
today revealed that the organization had
protested the nomination of half dozen
or more federal judges" MI. Wheeler
adced that he had never~ asked for the
transfer Of federal judge.
Asked by Representative Tinkham. re-
publican. -MassachuAetts, II he had ever
recommended the appointment Of a
federal judge, Mr.. Wheeler replied
We have protested the appointment
Of some, and think that when some
have come up L have sent across letters
stating that such and such men have
made very effective. faithful public OH
cials, and IL they were appointed to those
places would doubtless make the same
kind OF record We did not go into
a question Of picking personalities"
Pressed as to the number OF fudge
ship nominations which he had protested
\ on behalf Of the league. Mr Wheeler re-
Piled that It was done in the cases -of
half dozen or more federal Judges"
Appearing In advocacy OF appropria-
tions sufficient to enforce the prohibition
| law. Mr.. Wheeler was put through ex-
tensiye examination by Mr. Tinkham
concerning the leagues alleged activities
1 In politics and its alleged influence in
the selection Of prohibition enforcement
officers
The league. Mr.. Wheeler said. aid not
oppose the appointment OF Commissioner
Blair of the internal revenue bureau.
Was Mr.. Haynes suggested by your
! organization to Mr.. Blair or to the ap-
! pointing power. Secretary Mellon" Mr.
I Tinkham asked.
ct was some Of his friends back in
Ohio" Mr.. Wheeler replied. "Ha had
been a strong friend Of the president
\ and some Of his friends thought 1t would
he afnice thing to give him that Office
We were satisfied he should be appointed.
We were glad that he should be ap-
i pointed.
4 Mr.. Tinkham wanted to know If the
organization had anything. to do with
appointments under slr. Kramer or NJ.
Haynes.
eExceut ms. that we opposed those
Il who We're going h there who We he
! lieyed would be corrupt or. inefficient +
Mr. Wheeler said. and whatever We
: had the opportunity we gave our en-
| doTsenent to man that we believed We
would make good, honest Efforts to en-
force the law
REPRESENTATIVE Hustled. republican
New York. chairman Of the sub-commit-
! tee before which Mr.. Wheeler appeared
asked If the appointing power under the
federal government submitted to tn,
league for its approval or dlsapproval'
any list Of candidates for appointment
| In the prohibition enforcement service ?
No. we present our protests to them
n he answered.
Mr.. Hustled asked how. II no list wa.
presented the league learned the name.
/. of candidates, and Mr.. Wheeler said tbl
prominent candidates were mentioned il
0 the newspapers in advance
: Mr., Wheeler was questioned by MI
Tinkham as to HIS dealings with govern
ment officials in his general desire 4
s bring about rigid enforcement Of prohi
: bition.
l. Now. / want to ask along those line
: and I think It Is legitimate" shid Mr.
Tinkham. about your approach to pub
lie ofticials-whether you have approach
ed them or not. Did you approach tn
. president IN relation to the appointment
: of a secretary Of the treasury-wh
: | should be secretary Of the treasury
IT sent him a communication. I think
Mr. Wheeler replied. asking that n
$ one be placed in that position who wa
Il hostile to the enforcement Of law. IN
h asmuch as he would have something [
I do with 1t. We did not take up Wit
n him particularly the personnel OF any
thing else as l recall it."
Mr.. Wheeler said there were nun
: Der of good officials now enforcing th
s law who did not believe in prohibition.
o, Touching on the question OF III
icl leagues activity in politics. Mr. Tink
ham introduced a statement signed b
Mr. Wheeler and fled with the clerk c
le the house October %, 1920, showing tn
g expenditure Of about s554. some Of if /
I. the Minnesota district represented
is Chairman volstead Of the house judis
-e iary committee, author Of the Voistea
law.
An accompanying statement to tn
5 clerk of the house. signed, BY Mr.. Whe'
n Ter was presented by Mr. Tinkham.
t which Wheeler. as treasurer Of the can
g paign committee Of the league declare
% that. I'VE respectfully protest any ol
legation on the part Of the Anti-Saloo
League Of America to file this report VI
Is der the (elections) law. as the activitit
r, Of the Y aEue are educational. scient
I'd fc. charitable rather than political. q
C intended by the law It added: ''W
p file this report. therefore, under protes
covering those contributions and e,
penses only in connection with the nj
es tfonal organization in the election
r congressman as Indicated IN the report
o. Mr.. Wheeler said there was 'an hoi
b. est difference of opinion" as to wheth'
d. the act referred to such organizations q
the ieagle and added:
THE fact that there might be son
o. doubt with reference to Il. is the reasc
n why have asked our committee to A
h, these reports while we are the only o
a ganization that does #. I find no crit
T. cisrn Of the many liquor Organization
that are doing the same thug for n
fling a report"
n While Mr.. Wheeler was before Il
ce, committee a question relating to modii
n cation Of the Volstead law bobbed up.
in Chairman Hustled said he had motto.
voi statements in league literature to the e
feet that congressman who voted for Al
liberalization OF the Volstead act we
ID violating their oath Of Office"
p-I That would depend on to what e
On tent the liberalization would be-" "a
hei Mr.. Wheeler. ''If the court would tai
he judicial notice Of whether any such
quor was Intoxicating liquor. then "
get up to that realm where it would 81
y, there was justification for It. The
mt might not be IL there was q lfberaliz
mt tion that would not defeat the enforc
Ed ment OF the act.
ssl what wanted to ask you Is this
e. Mr.. Hustled said. whether you ccnsid
to that any CONGRESSMAN would BE- viola
412