The New York herald., 1922-11-20
DRY LEADER FINDS
day WAS DECEIVED'
Anderson Says Agents
Were Put Over Oh Him
by Politicians
THWARTED HIS WORK
Believes Frauds Were Per-
petrated in Spite of For
mer Director.
CONDITIONS IMPROvED'
Tells Forest Hills Church
gOers Scandal Is Less Than
Before Dry Act.

The work of Ralph A. Day as Fed
erA prohibition enforcement director
for New York and New Jersey was
seriously thwarted by the character
of the agents put over on him by
the politicians" William H. Anderson
State superintendent of the Anti
Saloon League, asserted last night at
the Forest Hills Gardens Community
Church.
Notwithstanding all the scandal
about prohibition enforcement in New
York city conditions are improving
said Mr. Anderson. There is not
nearly so much scandal. although
more of it has come to the surface
as there was in connection with the
administration of the liquor law In
this city under regulation and high
licenses.
There Is no disposition on my part
to protect any official who has done
anything wrong, but l have not yet
come into possession of any information
which convinces me that Commissioner
Hayness confidence informer Prohibi-
tion Director Day was misplaced. That
he made mistakes in judgment, that he
was deceived, and that there were
frauds perpetrated in spite of him is un-
questionably true. But 1t is also true
that conditions in many respects very
greatly improved under his direction.
"He was seriously thwarted by the
oh cta nf ha n m
by the politicians, which can be stopped
by putting these agents under Civ.l
Service regulations, as the Anti-Saloon
League advises, and by the failure of
the Federal District Attorneys office
to function as it has in many other
places.
II am glad to see activity on the part
of the United States Attorney. but /
would be more completely convinced
that some things are free from factional
politics and personal grudges If the for
mer director and the men indicted with
him more than a year ago had been
brought to trial before starting new
muss In the face Of that failure some
things look like deliberate attempt to
smear things up and discredit the en-
forcement of the dry law
"If former Directly Harold l.. Hart
and William A. Orr and others indicted
at the same time are not guilty, they
should have the benefit of official ac-
acknowledgement or judicial establish
ment of that fact. If the District At
torney's office has not sufficient evidence
to convict them. IL would have been far
better to frankly say so. On the other
hand, If they are guilty and the evil
dence is in hand there can be no possi-
BILE excuse for delaying a case of such
fundamental Importance until most of
the witnesses are dismissed from Gov
ernment service and are scattered
throughout the country.
"If these cases had been pushed as
promptly as the Remus case in Ohio.
and anybody who Is guilty had been
punished, the Prohibition Director
would have found it far easier to dis
charge his responsibility. as would also
have been true If there had been more
prompt and vigorous use of the injunc-
tion process, as Mr.. Day repeatedly re-
quested.
II am not criticising any particular
individual connected with the District
Attorneys office. / am merely stating
facts as they exist, without attempting
TO locate individual or personal re-
sponsibility, because I refuse to keep
quiet while that office does an injustice
or tries to pass the buck"