The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-12-06
DRY FIGHT
AT A CRISIS
Declared U. S. Commits
sioner1 Haynes, Asking
For $9,OOO,OOO
MIGHT LESSEN CALL
FOR MONEY LATER
There Are 340O Men En-
ployed in Prohibition
Enforcement

Washington, D. c., Dec 6.The
crisis in the federal prohibition en-
forcement fight has been reached, in
the opinion Of Commissioner Haynes,
lit was disclosed to-day in reports Of
recent hearings before House appro-
priations subcommittee.
In asking S9,000,000 for the next
fiscal year for his department, Mr..
Haynes told the committee that if a
similar amount was allowed for prohi-
bition enforcement continuously for
five or six years, reduction then
ought to be possible, but that the
critical period for enforcement; was
now at hand.
Mr.. Haynes said there were 3,400
men employed In the work of prohi-
bition enforcement. Because the ap-
plication asked for next year repre-
sents reduction of $250,000 from this
years outlay, he said there would be
a slight reduction in his forces, but
he hoped to re-arrange the organiza
tion so as not to greatly lessen its
efficiency.
The prohibition, commissioner told
the committee that he was 'gratifiedv
with the present functioning Of his en-
forcement machinery and that the de-
partment was securing fine cooper
alton" from states and counties in the
main. Courts were becoming more
sympathetic he asserted, and jail
sentences and fines were becoming
heavier
'There is general disposition to
tighten up he added.
In the fiscal year ended June 30,
1922, the prohibition commissioner
said, there were 22,4S3 convictions in
federal courts for violations Of the |
prohibition law Acquittals numbered
4,625, cases dropped 3,2l7, and civil |
cases disposed Of 544. At the end Of |
the year, he said, 1910 cases We're |
pending in federal courts, bringing the |
total Of cases handled to 44,779. These /
figures, he said, did not include cases
in state courts. Fines in federal
courts, which were deposited in the /
treasury, he placed at $2,79l 900. In |
many cases proceedings towards for
feiture Of bonds and other assessments
were pending.
Mr.. HAYNES asked for Sl50,000 for /
@buying evidence" and told the COM
mittee Sl39O00 had been spent in that
way during the last year.
The prohibition commissioner un
ierwent a long examination at the
hands of Representative Gallivan,
Democrat. Massachusetts,, who inquired
about the method of
handling the departments publicity.
Mr.. Gallivan referred, among other
things. to what he termed the wildly
sxtravagant statements he said eman-
ated from the bureau, one OF which
he said quoted Mr.. Haynes with hav-
ng asserted that 20,000,00o Americans
had gone on the water wagon" since
The enactment of the Volstead act.
Mr.. Haynes denied knowledge of the
statement.
Mr.. Hafnes told the committee there
rad been a splendid reaction by the
public towards his departments work
md Immediately clashed with Mr.. Gal
ivan over the results of the elections
# Nov. Z. the Massachusetts, repre-
citing the voting down in his
tate of an enforcement measure, and
he commissioner asserting that pro-
libition had won where conditions
we're normal
In reply to Mr.. Gallivan, Mr.. Haynes
Omitted increased arrests under the
narcotic law during the last fiscal
ear, but attributed it to the increased 9
of the narcotic division
nd not to the prohibition laws. II
Representative Magee, Republican, 5
I New York, asked If the commission
7 "did not realize there is a wide !
pread disrespect, defiance and viola
ion of the laws" o
"That is true of all laws" replied
fr. Haynes, adding that a sub-com
littee Of the American Bar associa- I
ion had made statement that dis I
espect for all law was at a maximum }
5 natural sequence of the war. Mr.. I
lagee said there was no such condi c
ion few years ago, and Mr.. CALI
an insisted that the prohibition law 4
ad caused disrespect for all laws" =