White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-01-28
MIR. s-pRINGMEYER's LETTER.

George Springmeyer is United
States attorney fer the district of
Nevada. AS such his duties are the
prosecution OF cases before the fed
eral court and other duties incidental
thereto. lie is required TO bring TO
the attention OF the federal court
and federal grand jury violations of
laws of the nation and to prosecute
them to the extent of his ability. He
has nothing 10 do with the state laws,
those Of the county or city n the
form Of ordinances within the state.
II either of these are violated his re-
lation to them is substantially the
same as that of any citizen. He takes
no oath TO support the state constitu-
ton or the state laws. His cath is
that he will support the federal con-
stitution and laws and do the duties
incident TO his Office which are pre-
scribed by law.
His relation to the prohibition law
Is to the national or Volstead act
alone lie is sworn to enforce ii
within the limits of his jurisdiction,
which is the state of Nevada. II the
state wishes TO prosecute a violator
of the Nevada prohibition laws it is
done through the district attorney.
These are district and in most cases
county officers, deriving their au-
thority from the state. and are not
subject to the authority of the fed
eral district attorney. Nor are the
governor of the state. the legislature.
the county commissioners, sherifs.
or any city officers in any way subject
to the authority of Mr.. Springmeyer
If the state. from the governor and
legislature down, wishes to repeal
the state prohibition laws or ignore
the Volstead act, SO long as they dc
not violate the latter, ii is none OF
Mr.. Springmeyer's business. Indeed
at this hour two bills are pending in
the legislature for such repeal. and
Mr.. Springmeyer's only right to OBJ
iect Is that of any other citizen Of
Nevada.
Recently Mr.. Springmeyer address.
ed a letter to Governor Scrugham
and through the governor to the leg.
islature. urging further state enact
ments practically copying the nation.
al Volstead act. Following this hi
has addressed letters TO the various
boards of county commissioners urg
ing the appointment of varying mum
bers of additional deputy sheriffs. moi
to help enforce the Volstead act as
such, but to enforce the state prohi-
bition laws. The legislature and tho
commissioners have a perfect right
TO aceede to the requests or to deny
them, the latter having been prompt
ly done, and properly 50, by the com.
m~issioners of White Pine county.
Laying aside the object of the let.
ter, whether IL be a %grandstand play
for mere newspaper notoriety. or to
advance Mr.. Springmeyer's political
fortunes as a perennial candidate for
office, or both, an unbiased observer
cannot help but see that it constitutes
a confession that Mr.. Springmeyer
has failed through the supposedly
strong and impregnable Volstead law
10 enforce prohibition in Nevada and
he now wishes to make the state and
county officers the goats. Or. il he
has not failed, IL must he pertinent
to inquire, Why does ne not proceed
TO enforce the federal law the same
as IL there were not state or county
governments? He has ample pow
ers. lie has the resources of the ma.
ton behind him. To pass more state
laws and hire more deputy sheriffs
will not add to Mr.. Springmeyer's
powers or add to the strength of tn,
Volstead law. II will be the law. ant
precisely as strong a law as II Is, Il
the Nevada statutes against prohibi
ton are repealed, the volumes de
stroyed and all the records thereof
thrown into the Pacific ocean. No
body in authority in Nevada Is try
Ing to stop Mr.. Springmeyer from
doing his sworn duty. He has IN,
held to himself and carte blanche /,
play his hand. II he knows that tn.
federal law is being violated It is hi
duty to see that the violators are ap
pretended and punished. II he know
OF 1t and fails he truly will not com
plain that 1t is a weakness of tn,
FEDERAL law, which Is drastic, and
contention that II is a failure OF stat,
law or county enforcement is chini'
prattle. for If there we're such stat,
laws or more deputies, as he de
mands, he would have exactly tn,
same official power to employ then
as he has now, which Is none at all
Not only that, but Mr.. Spring
meyers demands are both unprece
dented and extraordinary. Not
federal attorney in any other stat,
OF forty-eight in the Union has tries
or rs trying to bulldoze the state au
fhorities. or to shoulder his dutie,
upon them, and with those the blam,
for failure, as Mr.. Springmeyer Il
seeking 10 do in Nevada.
II he cannot fulfill the duties o.
his Office the candid thing for hin
- a., x.~.~Jl L.