Evening star., 1922-12-06
DRY FIGHT CRISIS
HERE, SAYS HAYNES
SO, 100000 Enforcement
Fund Request Defended at
House Hearing.
subcommittee REPORTS
Prohibition Commissioner Tells
Representatives Courts Are Be-
coming More Sympathetic"
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

Inc crlSlS IN tne IeQeTal pTOnlDltIou
enforcement fight has been reached
in the opinion of Commissioner
Haynes it was disclosed today in re-
ports of recent hearings before a
House appropriations subcommittee.
In asking $4,000 for the next
Haynes told the committee that IT a
similar amount was allowed for pro-
hibition enforcement continuously for
five or six years. reduction then
ought to be possible. but that the
critical period for enforcement was
nov at hand.
Mr. Haynes said there we're $500
men employed in the work OF pro-
hibition enforcement. Because the
appropriation asked for next year
represents a reduction OF s2oO.oO0
from this years outlay. he said there
would he slight reduction in hrs
forces. but he hoped TO rearrange
the organization SO as not appreclaoly
to lessen its efficiency.
Pleased With Efficiency.
The prohibition commissioner told
the committee that he was 'gratified"
with the present furctioning OF his
enforcement machinery. and that the
department was securing fine CO.
operation" from states and counties
in the main. Courts were becoming
more sympathetic" he asserted and
Jail sentences and fines were becom-
ing heavier.
There is general disposition to
tighten up he added.
In the fiscal year ended June So
1879, the prohibition commissioner
said there we're 20.4s3 convictions In
federal courts for violations OF the
prohibition law. Acquittals num-
bered 4.6ao. cases dropped. 3.al7. and
end of the year. he said. 1870 cases
were pending in federal courts.
bringing the total of cases handled
to i4.179. These figures. he said. did
not include cases in state courts.
Fines in federal courts. which were
at S2.79l,000. In many cases pro-
ceeding toward forfeiture of bonds
and other assessments were pending.
"Buylng Evidence" Funds.
Ny. Haynes asked for $4,000 for
buying evidence" and told the COM
mittce sls9.00O had been spent in
that way during the last year.
The prohibition commissioner under
went a long examination at the hands
OF Representative Gallivan. democrat,
Massachusetts. who inquired particu-
laIly about the method of handling
the departments publicity. Mr.. CALI
van referred. among other things. to
what he termed the wildly extrava
gaut' statements he said emanated
from the bureau. one of which. he
said. credited Mr.. Haynes with hav-
ing asserted tina, 20.ooo.o00 Amerf-
cans had gone on the water wagon"
since the enactment of the Vo!stead
act. Mr.. Haynes denied knowledge Of
the statement.
Mr. Haynes told the committee there
had been a splendid reaction" by the
public toward his departments work
and Immediately clashed with Mr..
Gallivan over the results Of the cleo
tions of November Z. the Massachu-
setts representative citing the voting
down in his state of an enforcement
ing that prohibition had won where
conditions were normal"
In reply to Mr.. Gallivan, Mr.. Haynes
admitted increased arrests under the
narcotic Jaw during the last fiscal
year. but attributed it to the in
creased efficiency" of the narcotic
division. and not to the prohibition
laws
Representative Magee republican,
New York. asked if the commissioner
did not realize there is widesD-ead
d!srespect. defiance and violation CT
the laws"
That is true of all law" replied Mr..
Haynes, adding that a subcommittee
of the American Bar Association had
made a statement that disrespect for
all law was at maximum as a nat
ural sequence Of the war. Mr.. Ma
gee said there was no such condition
a few years ago, and Mr. Gallivan in
sisted that the prohibition law had
caused disrespect FOR all laws