The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-19
PLAN To ABOLISH
LAW EMF ORCERS IS
GIVEN BODY BLOW
Senate Judiciary Committee
With One Dissenting Vote
Reports Adversely on
Abolition Bill
STATE CAPITAL BUREAUl
THE AGE-HERALD I
MnnfrnnarY AIa Ian La

With only one dissenting vote the
Senate judiciary committee late
Thursday decided to report adversely
4ahe bill of Senator Griffith of Gull
man abolishing, the state law en-
forcement department. Senator Mel
vim Hutson of Morgan county passed
the one vote in opposition to an I'M
favorable report.
The decision of the committee was
reached after Senator Griffith had
declared that Governor Brandon is
committed to the abolition of the de-
partment and the people are calling
for its elimination and after Senator
Hutson had declared that the people
of his section now Look upon the men
employed in thee &1lErtment as
bunch of cutthraast
Departing Missed
Senators A. 6rmiehael of
Geneva and r. TSowell of Macon,
opposed the .abol I'm of the depart
ment and declared it is the strong
arm for law enforcement in the state,
an arm which can be used to great
advantage by the new administration
which is committed to law enforce
ment. Both declared the law enforce
ment department is working well
with the sheriff of their district and
the people do not want it abolished.
They also called attention to the
fact that the department is paying
into the state treasury in fines more
than 1t takes out in salaries and ex-
penses.
Senator Griffith, in hisaargument in
support of the bill, contended that
Governor Brandon made an address
at Wetumpka, in which he said he ia
Vored the abolition of the DEPART
ment He declared there is no justi-
fication for the maintenance of the
department and insisted that the
sheriff can do the work which now
falls upon the law enforcers
, Senator Hutson was more critical
of the work of the department. de-
claring that during the railroad
strike representatives of the depart
ment were sent to Decatur and Albany
and caused constant trouble until
the were removed. He said the peo-
pie in his district had come to regard
them as "cut threats" who were con-
stantly getting drunk. He mentioned
that he came down on tram
with one recently and that
he was SO drunk he could hardly
that he was so drunk he could hardly
stand alone. OF course, he said the
head of the department probably
would have discharged him had he
known of his condition. He said the
night of the day the man was drunk
he aided in raid on dtstlllery.
Termed "Cut-throats'
Senator Hutson appealed for the
enforcement of laws by sheriffs. He
declared that the king bee boot
1eggers of his county had never been
molested BY law enforcement Off
GERS. This caused those faYoring the
retention OF the law to ask him If
che sheriff didn't need some assist
ance up there IL there were king bee
bootleggers around. Senator Hutson
answered that the only time the
bootleggers had been arrested the
sheriff made the arrests.
Hutson Leads Lone Fight
Senator Hutson also mentioned that
a notorious dive keeper had SAID
there was no fear of the activities
of the law enforcement department.
This brought the further question on
those favoring the law as to whetn-
er or not the sheriff needed some
assistance if notorious dive keepers
were operating in his territory. Men
ton also was made that federal OF
ficials were. aiding in law enforce
ment Senator Powell declared that
he believed the people of Alabama
should provide law enforcement
agents and should not depend upon
the United States government, which
would have no regard for the Mason
and Dixon fine in finding men for
law enforcement work in Alabama.
Senator Carmichael insisted that
Governor Brandon is COMMITTED to
the retention of the law enforcement
department and that the best peo-
Pile of the state favored mainten-
ance of a squad which can be sent
into any section for the purpose OF
enforcing the law.
On the vote in committee, Senator
Foster of Tuscaloosa, regarded as the
floor leader of Governor BRANDON
voted to make an adverse report on
the bill.