Evening star., 1922-01-20
DRY ENFORCEMENT
MAY Be PUT UNDER
JUSTICE OFFICIALS
Congress Commission Favors
Transfer From Treasury as
Efficiency Step.

The Treasury Department will be
relieved of the regulation and en-
forcement of prohibition if that part
Of the plans drawn up by the joint
congressional commission On reor-
ganization of the executive depart
ments of the federal government is
finally enacted.
These plans. which have been COM
pleted. and which. according to Wal
ter ]. Brown. chairman of the COM
mission. will be submitted to Presi-
dent Harding either late today or to-
morrow. will place the regulation
of distilled liquors. wines and other
alcoholic commodities as allowed by
law under the United States public
health service. The enforcement of
prohibition will be intrusted to the
federal bureau of investiga ton which
is created under this plan by the con-
! Solidation of the various detective
and investigating agencies of the
government under one head to be di-
| rectly under the jurisdiction of the
Attorney General.
Reasons for Proposed Changes.
Speaking for the commission. Chair
man Brown explained that this
change is suggested inasmuch as the
regulation of liquor has direct bear
ing upon the public health. and that
in view of the fact that the question
of revenue has been removed, it has
no relationship to the Treasury De-
partnient. Chairman Brown is of the
n a " oh
adopted. will do much in guarding the
health of the country and in the re-
duction of bootlegging and the illicit
manufacture of alcoholic drinks.
The plans also provide for the pur-
chase by the government of all the
whisky and other alcoholic beverages
now in bonded warehouses. and by
selling the same in accordance with
the law it is estimated by Mr.. Brown
the federal Treasury will be enriched
by many millions of dollars each year
War and Navy Merger Urged.
Consolidation of the War and Navy
departments under one head, to be
known as the department of national
defense. a:so will be recommended in
these reorganization plans. This
change would provide for one cabi-
net officer. the secretary bf national
defense, and two undersecretaries
one in charge of the Army and the
other the Navy. The change also
would include under this department
essary to the military, in time of war
The bureau of markets and the
bureau of roads. now under the De-
partment of Agriculture, are to be
placed under the Department of Com
merce. The forestry bureau is to go
whereas the latter department would
gain that big agency it would lose
the patent office. The pension bur
eau. the bureau of education and sew
eral other agencies. which have no
direct bearing upon the public do
main, all of which would be assigned
to the department of welfare. which
would be created under this plan and
which would supervise also the Vet
erans' Relief Bureau, the public
health service and similar agencies
now functioning under other depart
| ments.
Other Important Changes.
The coast guard would be placed un-
der the new department of national
defense. the life-saying service un.
der the Department of Commerce
| These two agencies now are under the
Treasury Department. The coas,
guard service would remain under
Treasury Department control
/ There are many other changes and
shifts of a more or less minor nature
7. included in the proposed plans. all OF
| " hich, according to Chairman Brown
! have been decided upon after months
! Of study and thought and with the
! sole object in view of bettering the
| government departmental service. The
plans aim to abolish overlapping OF
! bureaus and the termination of tn
red-tape policy which has been such a
| bothersome factor in the government
many years because of this syerlap-
ming Of departmental Jurisdiction.
Opposition Ii Expected.
| The joint commission does not an.
! ticipate that these, many recommends
| tfons of changes will be adopted with.
out opposition, and in some cases the
| opposition will, be strong.
| It is considered not unlikely that
| some opposition will be met amone
members of the Presidents cabinet
and that more than one change will
he made in the plans before they are
| finally sent to Congress for action.