Evening star., 1925-11-21
C0OL|DCE'S ACTION
APPROVED BY DRYS
Repudiates Buckner's View
on Law Enforcement of
Small Cases.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

President Coolidge has done what
the Anti-Saloon League wanted him
to do-namely, publicly repudiate the
impression given by the statements of
United States Attorney Buckner of
the southern district of New York
State. who indicated that trivial viola
tions of the Nolstead law would not
he prosecuted.
It's cas- in which everybody is In
accord. including Mr.. Buckner. as to
what the facts are. hut the disagree
ment arises in trying To discuss pro
hibition publicly.
When Mr.. Buckner points ont. for
example that Federal police courts
Will be necessary il the man who
happens to be caught carrying flask
Is to he prosecuted. the authorities
al the National Capital do not dis.
agree that the present Federal court
machinery is inadequate and that
more important cases are thus blocked
or delayed.
Thought Matter Important.
Yet. as Wayne b. Wheeler. counsel
for the Anti-Saloon League, pointed
out To Mr.. Coolidge. enforcement is
enforcement and nothing else. Small
offenders are just as much violators
of the law as big bootleGgers.
Ruckner's ideas would be understood
as Condonine Violations; in fact. stimu'
lating II. That's why he thought II
important enough To carry the mat
ter to the White House at once.
He told the President that every
thing that Mr.. Ruckner might say
about the crowded conditions of the
courts and the repeal by New York
State Of an enforcement act Of its
own similar to other States whlch
took care Of trivial offenses. might
still he true. and vet il would he a
tactless thing tofell the public about II.
New York State presents an awk'
ward problem for the Federal author
tiles anyhow. The Department OF
Justice wants to do all 1t can to en-
force the law rigidly, and yet the
Anti.Saloon League wants even more
than that done for the simple reason
that the league feels public denuncla
ton of law violation in almost as i'm
portant as actual prosecution.
Would Use Service.
II the Anti saloon League had its
way. the Army and Navy would he
used to clean up law viols tions. The
Department Of Justice and President
Coolidge are not ready 20 take such a
drastic view of the situation. though
It is frankly admitted in private that
the Federal machinery Is not big
enough to sauelch hootlegginS and
petty violations. TOO.
Mr.. Coolidge takes the position thd'
it never was contemplated. even bN
the most ardent advocates of prohlhl
ton. that the Federal Governmen mt
ahould do the whole job. and that the
eighteenth amendment, with Its Ia
nous phraseoiogy about concurrent
jurisdiction. was intended to make the
task one of absolute cooperation be
tween the Federal authorities and the
several States But even in some
States, where laws TO supplement Fed
eral statutes have been passed, the
disDosition is to pass the buck TO
the Federal Government.
Meanwhile the critics o. the Vol
stead act are deriving considerable
comfort out of the Federal Govern.
ment's emba IRA ssment. for II United
States attorney In city like New
York Confesses what has long been
known to be Federal policy-na meiy
to sidetrack the petty cases-then II 1s
sign OF weakness. The Anti-Saioon
League does not like to see Federal
official like Mr.. Buckner, on the other
hand. advertise weakness. He must
threaten to punish everybody, not
merely for buying drink. but for
carrying a flask or any other contain
er-the hope being that such public
threats will scare the public generally
into greater obedience to the law. Its
a difference of method which Is under
debate and not a dispute as 10
whether small violation of the law
is right or wrong. All violations are
held to he wrong.
UCopyrieht. 1925