The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-29
ANTI-SALOON BODY WOULD PROSE CUTE.
Exposure Of DisreSpeCt For Dry Law Aim Of Wet
 Organization
WASHINGTON BUREAU !
 TIE AGE-HERALD ! Washington. D. C.. Dec. 2S |

THE AGE-HERALD
 Washington, D. C.. Dec. 2S
 A thorough investigation of the liquor situation in Washington Is promised by certain outstanding pro- hibition members of Congress.
 preventative William D. Up shaw of Georgia will speak in the House January 3. and contempo- raneously. it is understood, will in- troduce the resolution calling for the investigation.
 It is indicated that it will not be opposed The Anti-Sa1oon league wants the investigation. The asso- citation opposed to the prohibition The desire of the two organizations is based on contrary reasons, how ever. The former would secure the prosecution of all who have pur- chased liquor Of bootleggers.
 The latter wants purchasers re- Vcaled so that it will be demon- strsted just how flagrantly the law is disregarded by those in high places.
 The demand for the investigation IS based on the last and biggest scandal which has shaken Washing ton. It was uncovered in the arrest of several men and women. who, it is alleged. have for many months co-operated on a gigantic scale and with great success in connection with attaches of one or several for eign emba ssies. It is alleged that the continuous success of the band was due to the protection that 1t had been given by federal or mu- nieipa1 authorities.
 Following the arrest of the lead CTS of the band, policemen, guided it is thought. by information ob- tained from the books of the prison CTS. surrounded liquor cache on f' al, Foc tpip n q h l4 trict. wherein was concealed, it IS alleged. liquor valued at $50000.
 Before the contraband stuff could be confiscated, representative of foreign embassy claimed ownership, and immunity. An appeal was made to the state department, and the em- bassY attache was sustained. At the same time, the sensational feature of the scandal came to light. It was reported that a list of the bootleg gers patrons had been discovered. and that it contained the names of two cabinet officers. members of the House and Senate, high employes of the government, and many fashion able men and women of the District of Columbia.
 List Has Disappeared.
 That list, if it ever existed, has q sappeared Municipal authorities declare that they never saw such an alleged compilation of names Federal authorities declare that it's existence is a myth. The collector of internal revenue announces thar he has questioned every man in his service, and that none of them ever saw such q list. He alleges that newspapers in stating that the list existed did the individuals in the service rank injustice.
 Nevertheless, the belief that the list did exist. and that it was sup pressed will not down. It is recalled that in the beginning 1t was given to the press by someone who can not now be identified that the list contained names of most important people. that all information was in code and that it would require pa tienSe tp decipher the facts. Next, flom the same source. it was an nounced To the press that work of dseoding had progressed 10 such an event that about 500 of the l,400 important names could be made pubic.
 instantly from many official sources there was demand that the list he given to the public. ln- slantlv. ali knowledge of the exist cnce of tho list was disclaimed. It is safe prediction that it is gone forever. and it is not believed that an investigation by Congress would bring it to light.
 
 investigation il is understood that the prohbitionists in Congress will demand that something be done to check the flow of liquor from Flu rope to foreign embassies located in Washington. It is pointed out that Secretary Hughes obtained treaty trough concessions which will ex- tend the extra territorial waters from distance of three to a distance of ? miles from the American coast, and that he could obtain another treaty limiting liquor supplies of foreign embassies or cutting them off entirely.
 Question n Delicate One.
 The question is one of delicacy, however, and the Anti-Saloon league has already thrown into doubt the constitutionality of even treaty which extends the three mile limit by conceding the right of anyone to bring liquor into an American port, which the constitution forblds. The problem involving embassies is even more serious, in that any repreSen- tation of the necessity of checking embassies supplies would impute crime to the agents of every foreign country harbored in Washington. Al the same tune, there is no doubt eX- pressed that some employees or cer- tain embassies have been unable to resist the temptation of disposing of embassy liquor at the fashionable prices which prevail.
 Wayne B. Wheeler, general coun- sel of the Anti-Saloon league, calls for the prosecution of those who purchase from bootleggers. He de- clares the law sustains his demands. and cites that fact as reason for his insistence that the alleged list of liquor purchasers be made public.
 The fear is not entertained by cer- tain individuals who have purchased liquor of bootleggers that prose- cution based on a list of names taken from a bootlegger would result in a conviction, as that list would not be evidence that an actual purchase had been made. That the list is perma nently gone. however, is their hope because of the embarra ssment which it's publication would cause them. It would result in several resignations from the government service, and certain defeats at the polls, it is be- leved.
 DYING WOMAN'S WORD CLUE IN MURDER CASE