Evening star., 1923-12-21
NEW DRY BUREAU
| PROPOSED IN BILL
Representative CramtOn Said
I to Have Official Backing
/ for Measure.

Il Establishment of a separate bureau
in the Treasury Department for pro-
hibition enforcement is proposed in
bill introduced in the House late yes
terday by Representative Louis e.
Cramton of Michigan. which. 1t is un-
derstood, has the support of President
Coolidge Secretary Mellon and the
Anti-Saloon League.
The bill as introduced is different
in two details from proposed legisla-
ton on this subject which Represent
ative Champion had previously an
nounced his intention to father.
THE commissioner of internal reve-
nue., now under the law charged with
prohibition enforcement" Represent
ative Cramton points out, has in e
collection of federal taxes one OF the
heaviest administrative tasks IN the
government. with thousands or en-
ployes and with complicated questions
OF law and of administration con-
stanly arising. His burdens are
surely heavy enough without the
task of prohibition enforcement.
Wants Cabinet Contact.
"On the other hand, prohibition en-
forcement, involving as 1t does the
great problem of supremacy of law
and order in the nation, Is task sur
flciently great to justify the organlza-
tion of a bureau for that specihc pur-
pose.
The organization of an independ-
ent bureau apart from any depart
ment of the government has oeen
proposed Aside from the fact that
the expose of scandals In the Net-
erans' Bureau emphasizes the unde-
STABILITY of creating further inde-
pendent bureaus" Representative
Cramton explained. "the problem OF
national prohibition is one whicn
discussions. and on such occasions
the prohibition enforcement organlza-
tion should be represented at the cao-
met table" o,
Arguing also against ot,ett1Go the ppoposal snl
forcement should be lodged in the
Department of Justice. Representa-
tive Cramton states his position as
follows:
United Effort Sought.
"This proposal would contemplate
only the enforcement of the law con-
cerning prohibited liquors, while ad-
ministration Of the laws concerning
permitted liquors would remain In
the Treasury Department These TWO
activities are too closely reiate9 70
make desirable their separation. Even
under administration of the law as
to permitted liquor has come the
assessment and collection of many
millions of dallars in prohibited taxes
and this work should be retained In
the Treasury or revenue collection de-
partment. -
"In view of the recently proven ef-
fectiyeness of the customs service in
taking care of some smuggling ac-
tiyities and in view of the proposed
equipment of the coast guard for a
continuous campaign against SNUG
eIers at sea, all of these activities
should be under the supervision of
the Secretary of the Treasury. and
necessary unity of action would be
secured
with reference to his bill Repre-
sentative Cramton stresses that 1t
would transfer to the national pro-
hibition. commissioner all of the du-
ties and power and authority of the
commissioner of internal revenue
with reference to permitted and pro-
hibited alcoholic liquors and mar
cotics, except the collection of the
ordinary tax on lawful alcoholic
sales.
The bill I am introducing also
carries the provision intended to free
the prohibition enforcement service
from politics, transferring to the civil
service the entire prohibition, en-
forcement organization and requiring
those now in the service to pass an
examination in order to remain"
Representative Cramton said.