Evening star., 1923-01-25
SUSPECT SERVANT
/ IN LEGATION
Dry Agents to Treat Direct,
as Diplomatic Status Does
Not Enter In.
= - >. s.
CHARGE WILLING TO AID
Declares 80 Cases of Liquor I'm
ported Since First Of Year.
Is Left.
CHARGE WILLING TO AID

Because the Cuban legation liquor
'leak" is believed to have been a ci-
william, not an official employe-a SER
Nant--prohibition enforcement OF
fcials are planning to treat direct
with the legation and not through
The State Department. it was an
nounQed today by James f. Jones,
acting prohibition rcommi ssioner.
Mr.. Jones said that the affidavit
sworn to by John J. Lynch, who was
arrested in raid Mohday. named
house servant of the Cuban legation
as source of supply. This placed
the suspect outside the diplomatic
status, Mr.. Jones pointed out, and OBJ
waited the necessity of treating
through the State Department.
Hope to Work Out Plan.
Records of the case thus far COM
piled will be thrown open to credited
officials of the Cuban legation at any
time they desire, Mr.. Jones added, de-
cIaring he was convinced of their
sincerity in wishing to get TO the
bottom of the case. He said that he
Npuiu " tlCOtIlS tIfit tO-pptl III
this connection and intimated that
after analysis Of the liquor seized is
completed today 1T was possible
the legation officials and prohibition
enforcement officials could TGrk out
the problem of the manner of dealing
with the case between them, in a
manner mutually satisfactory to all
concerned
The thing that is holding up de-
velopments in the case at present, AIR.
inn a1 l.
ity to complete the report of the men
actually engaged in the raid when
Lynch was arrested. This report first
goes through the hands of Edgar
Read. in charge of the local division
of prohibition agents, and thence up
the line to Mr.. Jones. This forms the
basis of action When that is re-
ceived the machinery of prohibition
enforcement will start 10 move. The
report must include analysis of the
liquor seized. That analysis is being
made today.
Much Hangs on Analysis.
Until this analysis is completed. Mr..
Jones said, absolute certainty that
the liquor did come from the Cuban
legation, as the affidavit of Lynch
charges, is without entire backing.
If it is found to be bogus liquor. it
will create a muddled-up. condition
of affairs,
IL have heard of 1eaks''in embas-
sizes around town" Mr.. Jones de-
clared. Il fail to recall however,
that any one with diplomatic i'm
munity was ever located in investi-
eating such leaks We are continu-
ing on our check-up on liquor re-
ceipts in the esta ablishments of for
eign governments in Washington.
The permits granted for the trans
porta ton of the liquor to the embas-
sizes. of course. furnish our basis for
such a check We have no means,
unless, perhaps, through an act Of
courtesy on the party of foreign
Observation-Disclosures becomes of the
liquor after ii reaches an embassy. l
do know. however. that much of the
liquor named as embassy liquor is
really faxed.
Eighty Cases Received So Far.
Willingness 10 cooperate with pro-
hibition authorities, as far as his pc
cultar limitations as diplomat would
permit, was expressed today by DR..
Arturo Padro y Almeida. charge daft
faires of the Cuban legation. DR.. AL
media said that he would welcome
formal invitation from the prohibition
authorities to discuss the case, and in
such event stood ready to lend any aid
in his power in order to clear up the
case.
He volunteered the information that
during the past year only 800 cases
of liquor came to the legation and
said that eighty cases had been inn
ported since the first of this year, Of
which fifteen were left. He also an
nounced the prosecution OF an inves-
tigation in the legation, which thus
far has been fruitless.
In event that convincing proof
could be shown him that there was a
leak at the embassy through house
servant or one not of the official fam
lily of employees at the legation, he
said. an immediate discharge would
result.
Specific Complaint Lodged.
Specific complaint against a diplo-
matte establishment here involving
alleged irregularities in the disposal
of liquor supplies was lodged with
high officials of the Treasury more
than week ago. This came to light
today during consideration of activ-
tiles of the prohibition unit. which is
making a drive against illicit liquor
in the District suspected of leaking"
from embassies or legations.
Whether the complaint of alleged ir-
regularity in disposal of diplomatic
lquor or more than a week ago had
any. connection with the alleged charges
against an employe at the Cuban lega-
ton was not revealed. Neither was the
name of the establishment first men
toned specifically in the formal COM
plant made public.
No General Condemnation.
Although there was no doubt about
specific charges having been made
against a certain diplomatic establish
ment in the official renort this could
by no means be taken. it was empha-
sized by high Treasury officials. as
general condemnation of the diplomatic
establishments in the city. The com.
plant was not general il was declared,
but specific, and the public mind there
fore. should not suspect all the diplo-
matte corps, their establishments
servants. attaches, because Of charges
made against one or two.
Discussing the embassy liquor stu
alton generally, American officials de-
that resale of liquor from official
stocks of diplomatic establishme. t,
by servant or other persons to an
American bootlegger or the Ameri-
can public constituted a violation OF
the national prohibition act
Some Criticism OF Stock.
On the other hand, 1t was explained
that the only way to reach such vio-
1ators was not through seizures and
arrests by the prohibition arm Of the
American government, but through
representations by the State Depart
nent.
sensational rumor Of the huge
stock of whisky alleged to have been
laid in by legation here during the