Evening star., 1924-03-01
ENFORCEMENT LAW
ASSA|LED IN HOUSE
Representative Cooper, in
Maiden Speech, Scores
Liquor Influence"

/ -IuuUI IItliucIIGcs
/ A vigorous attack on law enforce
ment. International capital with par
ticular reference to prohibition en-
| forcement and claiming that power
! full Influences" are allied with this
notorious traffic in BOOZE" Repre-
sentative John Cooper of Ohio made
the first speech in the House today
when the bill to establish d new
schedule of salaries for police and
fremen was called up for considera-
tion.
| Referring TO the shooting of Senator
Greene during pistol battle be
tween bootleSSers and law officers, y
Representative Cooper said this in
cident has done more than anything
| else to focus attention of the public
on the bold activities of the outlaw
| liquor dealers and the entire question
of law enforcement. Properly and
| rightly. the people are demanding 10
know why it is that it is not safe
| for law abiding citizens to walk along
the best known street in the country
within a stones throw Of the building
where the nations laws are made"
"Time to Place BIame.'
THE time has come for some one
| TO -udeavor TO place the blame" Rep
| resentative Cooper said IF pro
! hihition officer is guilty of carelessly
using firearms he should be punished
| But it seems that every effort IS
! being made by certain interests In
| Washington TO fix the Nntire re-
spunsibility on the federal agents
who. with police officers of the Dis
! trict. surprised band of bootleggers
who are brazenly unloading a whisky
! still in the heart of the nation :
| capital and who. when the officers
came upon them. engaged in a pistol
J battle which resulted in the shooting
/ Of senator Greene
! The next morning the bootleggers
were found and arrested. Representa-
! tive Cooper reminded his colleagues,
/ but they were Immediately released
! on bend of $4,000 each. while the pro-
| hibition agent had to furnish bond
/ for $4,000
Why this discrimination against
; the prohibition agent?" asked Rep
resentative Cooper Il assert that the
h"otleggers who We're involved in
! this affair ought to have been kept
! In Jail without bond. Why did not
, the United States district attorney
here see that this was doneo
! charge that this is just an IL
lustration of the attitude power
it"l IT." 't1asrdss to%srd the in a. c1p 31
notorious traffic in booze which has
been thriving in Washington The
greatest shame and disgrace is that
there are many high in the official
stand back of the bootIegcers nv
patronizing them
Flames Patrons.
First Of all. the blame can b. mn,
! on these selfish patrons of the boot
j legEers, especially those who boast
OF their standing in the community
! ana who served as examples for the
| poor and ignorant TO follow.
Next among those who deserve the
condemnation of all rightminded cit
izens are those public officials charg-
| ed with enforcing the law, who fail
! I" DO their duty earnestly, honestly
| ana without fear or favor. The best
men available should be given free
| hand TO enforce the law. / charge
| that this has not been done in Wash
| ington.
! ~ oung. inexperienced lawyers are
! assigned by the District attorney to
! prosecute cases against bootleggers
While the latter have the best talent
! that their dirty money can buy to
! defend them. Only a few days before
| Senator Greene was shot Ii was an.
| nounced that several deputy UniteL
| states marshals in Washington had
! been suspended for alleged com
! not seem to me that either the Dis.
! trict attorney or the United State.
| marshal take the prohibition enforce.
ment question with sufficient seri.
! business.
! Would Eliminate Politics.
Just as long as men are appointed
| to the difficult task of enforcing pro
| and backing enforcement of the law
| will be neglected. Politics should
| have no place in the enforcement OF
/ the eighteenth amendment TIL,
! should be taken away from the
! politicians and placed in the hand.
+, of some department of government
| under a single head which would b,
| held responsible. Today the fedora
prohibition bureau is full of politica
| appointees from the top to the
| bottom.
Il have come to the conclusion tha,
&, many of the officers who have beer
| appointed are not now or never have
! been in sympathy with the enforce.
| ment of the provisions of the eight :
| eenth amendment"
| Representative Cooper also paid his
| respects in fighting language to the
! wet propagandists. 'who, by thei,
activities. their utterances and theil
declaration encouraged the viola.
! tion of the law which they claim can
4
Cites Many Killings.
! During the last two or thre.
| years from thirty-five to fifty officer.
of the law have been killed by boot.
| leggers and booze runners, killed fr
discharge of their duty. Whisky run.
ners kill these officers, but we dc
not hear one word Of condemnation
| from the lawless liquor traffic o,
| from this organization of persona
| liberty advocates, who have thei,
| headquarters at the seat of govern.
| ment and are now challenging the
right of the American people to en-.
| force laws.
| Last week an officer of the United
| States Coast Guard testified before ;
| committee of Congress that the whis
| ky runners and smugglers along oul
!, coasts go armed to the teeth ant
! frequently fire upon the Coast Guart
| men," Representative Cooper de-
| manded that there be thorough in
vestigation of the shooting of Sen
ator Greene, "and let the blame b,
! placed where it belongs"
| If necessary, Congress and tn,
| states must pass additional laws, h,
| said. to severely punish the murder
! Gus bootleggers.
rrANuEn oIFo ran nnU