The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-09

M. Barthou followed with 5O- franc note. The waiter bowed, but not quite so respectfully.
 Then Schober. the Austrian, took out of his pocketbook strange docu- ment covered with signatures and stamps.
 '1s that a check?" asked the waiter with some hauteur.
 No" replied Herr Sehober, Tt Is a Dill of lading. A wagon full of kronen is at the station for you''
 The waiter, in the regular order, turned to Tohitcherin. the soviet lead CT, who nonchalantly threw a little parcel on the table. It gave metal He chink.
 Some church jewels. I suppose" murmured the waiter.
 Not exactly" said Tchitcherin, just a stereotype plate for thousand ruble notes. Print as many as you like"
 And, with sublime sweep of the hand, the bolshevist left the table.
 Harding Plenses Them
 President Hardings statement in his speech at Marion that the federal prohibition law must be enforced no matter what the cost was received in Washington with a great deal of satisfaction by government officials, especially those connected with tho law enforcement branch. It is real ized that public sentiment must as- sist if prohibition.is really to become effective and there is no sufer method of arousing public sentiment than through utterance of the chief execu- tive.
 It Is of no avail at this time to discuss the wisdom or lack of wisdom of the prohibition amendment and the Volstead act. The fact remains that they are the law of the lana and if these laws are permitted to fall into disrespect. all laws go by the board.
 This is particularly true of fed eral law. Time was in this country when the federal law and the federal officers were feared even as the averaging angel Is feared. It was all very well to take certain liberties with city or state laws, but tradition lad 1t that once the federal authori- ties got on your trail there was noth- ing to do but surrender. It was felt there was some particularly mys- terious force about the federal ma chinery that would reach out and get you, no matter how many years were required in the process of getting. The federal court and the federai grand jury were regarded with re- spect bordering on awe by even the most hardened criminal.
 Inability of the federal government to enforce the prohibition law In all of its phases has broken down great deal of the former respect for federal law. All government officials, all judges have felt it. President Hard ing agrees that the government can not fail. It Is quite true that the task of enforcing a law which makes a criminal of a man who merely con tinues to follow the habits Of H1e- time, a law which says that an act may be entirely legal one day ana wholly criminal the next, is the most difficult ever faced by any govern ment--a. task which in the analysis requires prying into nearly every mans home But the task IS there. Congress placed 1t on the 1euerai government and 1t is now up to con eress to provide the government With the necessary means of enforcing the law.
 Some one has estimated that Tn order to enArce the Volstead law to the last letter will require an army of 5OO,o00 prohibition agents at an annual cost of billion dollars. That may or may not be true. But II It is true 1t is up to Congress 10 proVloe the funds. A federal law should not be allowed to become thing or con tempt. The prohibition officials Feel they are making steady headway against the professional hquor traI- fickers with the means at their com mand, but private violations or the law are going on apace.
 No Males Employed
 Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont has been re- ported as having stipulated when she donated the money for the new headquarters of the National Women's party up near the capital, known as the watch tower on the hill,' that no male should be employed about the place ''except in a menial capacity.
 Ouch That is getting back at the sterner sex with vengeance. Bu, the question now has arisen as to what did the lady mean, menial.
 The big dictionaries say that meniai means seryile, low, mean, sordid, de- grading, abject, cringing, fawning. obseouious and sycophantic. Possibly there are some other definitions. but
  there is the noun menial. meaning "one employed in low Or servile off, fices."
 Now then. suppose the bathroom springs a leak in the watch tower on the hill." must those in charge of the headquarters wait until they can locate a lady plumber, or must they search until they can find gentle man plumber willing to sign an affi- davit that plumber is nenial?
 Suppose the roof needs repairs. where, oh where. can you find in all Washington a lady roofer? Likewise. where can you find a mental roofsrt Anyway when one attains the roof he cannot be said to be occupying a Tow office"
 Suppose a door jams or window sticks. what about lady carpentier? In a big building like the watch