Evening star., 1923-06-11
SHACKLES
DRY ENFORCEMENT
Haynes Prevented From
Picking Aides He Wants
by Local Bosses.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

One of the things not mentioned
in Prohibition Commission Haynes
second annual report of enforcement
work, issued today, is the interfer-
ence with it by politics and politi-
clans. They probably give Haynes
more trouble than all the bootleg
gers in the country combined. There
is hardly federal jurisdiction where
politics is not an obstructive factor
in prohibition enforcement.
Although progress is being made
at rate that on the whole Is salts
factory, there Is little doubt that
immensely more effective results
would be achieved il politics and
prohibition could be divorced. At
present they are in an unholy al
lance. Government leaders are loath
to discuss this situation. Some Of
them deny its existence. But if
Commissioner Haynes were to be put
on the witness stand 1t Is probable
he could unfold a convincing tale.
Attack ON Haynes
In the current number of one of
Americas most widely circulate ed
periodicals frontal attack on the
ed under the title. Who is Haynes
and Why" The writer of the article
suggests that what prohibition enforce
ment needs is Herbert Hoover, Leon :
ARD ard Wood or a Henry ]. Allen;
system were abolished a Hoover, a
Wood, an Allen or some other super
man would find himself subordinate Q
to no fewer than three federal
officials.
In the present instance. Haynes
trio of bosses" consists G) of the Sec
retary of the Treasury, Andrew w.
Mellon; CD Mckenzie Moss, assistant
secretary of the treasury in charge
of revenues and (3l d. H. Blair. commits
sioner of internal revenue The pro
hibition commissioner can be over
ruled at any time by any of these
three superior Officers. He is only
nominally Independent in the en-
forcement realm.
Hurt BY Politicians.
Prohibition enforcement has not
been hindered during the past two
years SO much by this system of di-
vided high authority as by the ma
chinations of the politicians The
posts of state prohibition directors
and enforcement agents have become
some of the most coveted of federal
patronage plums.
AS in other cases, presidential ap-
pointments are virtually without eX-
ception made at the behest and upon
the recommendation of senators and
representatives.. TheSe, on their part
usually act in accord with the wishes
of State or county organizations. and
thus the actual personnel of prohibi-
tion enforcement stats is often the
direct selection of local political
leaders or bosses" AS anybody who
knows the intimate workings of our
party system will understand, this
seldom means that the best men get
the jobs. 1t often means. on the
contrary. that the men least worthy
but with the best "organiza ton
backing land them.
Seeks Clean Omcials.
Commissioner Haynes, from the out
set of his administration in June, 1921,
has made strong efforts to fill the en-
forcement service with clean, conscien-
tious officials. Naturally, he has sought
and recommended the appointment of
men with known prohibition sympathies
He has not scorned the cooperation OF
the Anti-Saloon League and it's active
state branches. In many states appoint
ments of directors and junior enforce
ment officials have been made, that had
Haynes hearty Endorsement. Others
have taken place in face Of his ex-
pressed opposition.
Take the recent episode in New Jer-
sey, considered, next to New York, the
most dangerous" spot on the prohibi-