Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-04
BY JOHN EDWIN v
Special Dispatch to The Tribune.

hNA" hsSpatth W Alt AttDiDSs
- I,-p Iets IribGne.
Washington, Dec. 3.-The question
OF prohibition has pushed from the
center of the stage in the nations cap
ltal oil impending problems of legis-
iation and government. Here in the
national capital it is even more Of an
Issue, that anywhere else in the coun-
Try. It is decrecd there shall be no
further winking at violations of the
law. The Anti Saloon league and all
organizations whose life depends on
maintenance Of the latest amendment
to the constitution demand it. Singh
lar to relate, SO do all of the foes of
prohibition. Agents of the various or
CARNATIONS whose mission in life is to
secure the return of light wines and
beer-because no matter What fanatics
say, hat is as far as AUTHORIZATION
ever will secure q concession in
.Nmerica-nlso demand enforcement of
the law as it stands. So it would seem
that all the anti and pro organizations
were agreed for the first time in our
history, first because they expect en-
fercemhnt to compel evasaion and the
latter because they hold the law 20.
X
The issue is even more acute because
of this fact. There is 4 growing belief
III many quarters that absolute en-
forcement exclusively will affect the
voters who have neither wealth nor
supplies of intoxicants on hand, and
there also is the desire in national
quarters that the question OF enforce
nent will be relegated back to the
states. Because of this it appears that
Il crisis may be precipitated at any mo-
ment in either the senate or house
yr~hsnb will fnrnn IN GhnV-Inyv1 hnfnrn
the mex national campaign shall open.
OF course, liquor will be the real is
sue when the next national campaign
begins. Whether prohibition will be
made a party platform plank depends
upon what transpireS here in Wash
ington.
A Mon-Partisan Problem
There is only one certainly. and thta
is that prohibition today is the
most non-partisan problem ever de-
ve:opel here. There is no possibility |
of agreement in either the democratic
or republican membership. All want
10 dodge and up to this time they have
successfully Ions so. The cabinet has
held various sessions and discussed
regulation and enforcement. There
was developed q distinct difference of
opinion among the members-not on
the law-but on whether it is posi-
BILE to enforce it, That difference still
exists. Since then there has come
appeals from President Harding to
law abiding citizens that they quit
buying bootleg or other whisky and
assist in enforcing the law. The re
Spouse has been-well. the best sug-
gestion along that line is the action
Of the attorney general in directing AL
OF his assistants throughout the coun-
try 10 cooperate" and enforce the law.
Harding to Take Hand
This attitude is reflected in con-
gress. When the regular session opens
on Monday the members expect Presi-
dent Harding to deal with the ~prohibi-
ton law without gloves. He will be
expected to suggest a mandatory lcgi&-
lation-if he thinks it is needed-or
else to admit that the law is failing of
it's objective. Nobody knows whether
he will or will not do go.
The Annapolis situation has resulted
in trouble here in Washington. The
secretary Of the navy has taken il
upon himself to denounce in unqualified
terms all of the members Of the various
classes at the academy and their Of
ficers for the "disgraceful' scene at
the conclusion of the recent army and
DHhA ipVlbdll EGiiiN at L hAAhAtl A''i
The friends Of the navy take sharp
issue with the position Of the secre-
tary and they are suggesting that pos
sibly a mistake was made.
In this connection, they suggest a
recent happening here. A Washington
policeman stopped a truck moving
through the streets filled with liquor
openly advertised by the labels on the
boxes. He ordered the truck and its
largo taken around to the station
house. When this was done, the driver
was asked what about it. He said,
Il brought this from Baltimore to the
- embassy. They know it is here.
Call them up and ask them whether it
10 all right. Describe me-
What Policeman Did
This was done. The embassy insisted
that this was their agent-or at least
this was what was stated over the
telephone-and the load was released.
The policeman who made the arrest
was not satisfied. lie went that night