The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-04-12
PULL TEETH OF
PROHIBITION LAW
Assembly Passes Sachtjen
Bill Limiting Right of
Search and Seizure"
FIGHTS BILL
Leader of Drys Declares Leg
islature Would Better Repeal
the SeversOn Act.


Madison, Wis. The anti-prohibi-
ton forces in the Wisconsin legisla
ture were successful in their first at
tack on the Severson state enforce
ment act today when they engrossed
by vote of e. to SO, the Sachtjen bill
restricting the search and seizure
clause of the statute. On a motion
to indefinitely postpone the measure,
the drys lost 62 to 36.
This measure Endorsed by Governor
Blain in his recent special message to
the legislature, would permit issuance
of search warrants under the prohi
bition law, only upon probable cause,
and after being supported by afidav-
its of persons charging violation of
the enforcement law.
Both the vets and tie drys in the
legislature emphasized the fact that
the measure was aimed at vital por-
ton Of the liquor statute. Those fav-
oring the bill contended that it would
only place safeguards around the
home, guaranteeing a protection that
is afforded by the state and federal
constitution. Those opposing the
measure argued that its passage would
make enforcement of the prohibition
law impossible, because of the strin-
gency of requirements.
Protection to M0onshiner.
Assemblyman Herman Sachtjen,
Madison, author of the bill, declared
that assertions of opponents of the
measure that it would protect the
moonshiner, were without foundation
He said that he was s'trying to save
enforcement by getting public opin-
ion behind. the prohibition law" 1t
was his contention that the measure
he sponsors merely placed the search
and seizure section of the Volstead
act into the Severson law.
Charges that officers of the estate
prohibition department were unfit to
search homes of the state" were made
by Assemblyman Sachtjen. He de-
clared that political pull" was used
by persons to escape punishment un-
der the law while poor people are
made to suffer"
MathesOn is Bitter.
Assemblyman A. E. Matheson, James
Vile, led the attack ON the bill. He
declared that passage of the Sachtjen
bill would be tantamount to repeating
the Severson prohibition law.
'The bill would take the heart out
Of the Severson law and make it a
farce" he said. eve might as we'll
repeal the law outright as to pass this
bill, which is indirectly aimed at re-
pealing the law This bill involves
something more than the wet and dry
issue. 1t involves enforcement of the
law, and there is no more important
question before the American people
today than that of law enforcement.
Passage of the bill would make the
prohibition enforcement department
helpless to enforce the Severson law,
Mr.. Matheson said that he would
like to be informed "why Governor
Blaine has changed his attitude from
one of support for the search and
seizure section of the Severson law
to that of direct opposition"
OhedIcE anu IHCSub vote NO.
The roll call follows:
For the bill Barker, Becker. Bev-
ersdorf, Busse, Conway, Dieringer,
Duncan, Eber, Eirschele, Ellenbecker,
Elsner, Engel, Friedrich, Camper, eau
er, GRAIN; Hefty, Hillman, Hinkley,
Holly, Jung, Kampke, Kiesner, Kill
lian,> Koch, Koenigs, Laffey, Lindahl,
Mark, Meggers, A. M. Millar, w. F.
Miller, MINER, Moul, Naumann, Nein,
Oliver, Olson, OFT, Peterson, Perry,
Peterson, Polakowski, Prescott, Rahr,
Ruling, Sachtjen, Saugen, George
Smith, G. w. Smith, Schrimpf, F. G..
Smith, Spoor, Stoffel, Zimmerman,
Tucker, Warden, Weber, WEIGH, VOL
Ter, Ziemer, Zittlow-62.
Against the bill = Allen, Anderson,
Blomberg, Caldwell, Cushman, Dopp,
Freehoff, Goodman, Grandine, Grim
stad, Halverson, C. E. Hanson, j. G.
Hanson, Hutchinson, A. C. Johnson, E.
H. Johnson, Jones, Hamper, Lawson,
Liehe, Matheson, j. D. Millar, Moseley,
George Nelson, w. G. Nelson, Peltier,
Price, Royce, Salter, Shearer, Slack,
A E. Smith, Tuffley, Vincent, Whelan,
Dahl-36.