The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-08-01
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LANSEEN
# TEST
FAILS
Big Business Leaders Said to
Be Agreed on Plan After
Talks With Coolidge
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES
Copyright, 1895, by international
News Servfcel

Copyright. 1895, by international
4 News Servicel
The next year is to witness the
most intensive drive ever under
taken by the Government to
enforce one of its laws.
{ It is aimed to make prohibition
really effective. It. is to be the
grand offensive against rum
runners, alcohol manufacturers
warehouse robbers, and the multi
tude Of smaller fry conspirators
who have waxed fat and opulent
since 1920, and whose operations
have kept the big cities and the
Atlantic Seaboard in a more or
less moist state during that time.
Zero Hour" September /
September 1st is the zero hour"
for the attack to be launched. BY
that date General Lincoln G. An
drews hopes to have his reassem-
bled enforcement machine all set
for the big push.
Behind these more or less known
facts, number Of sensational and
quasi-sensational stories are circu-
lating in Washington, one Of which,
at least, is sensational enough to
have engaged the attention of Con-
gressmen and caused no little sx-
Ia -. -. rra1f
Stripped of its unessential detail
it is this:
The Administration has determine
ed for one year to drive with every
arm of the Governments law en-
forcement. organization to really en-
force prohibition.
Politics is to be driven as nearly
completely out Of the situation as
lit is ever possible to drive politics
out of anything connected with a
Government activity.
After the big Fellow
The main drive will be conducted.
not at the hip toter and the home
brewer, but at the bootlegging in
dustry's source of supply, which
the basic supply of raw alcohol and
business.
At the end of this one years
grand offensive to enforce the law,
year in which the Government
has thrown every shell in its guns
against the boot1egging and alcohol
industry, Administration leaders will
take stock of the situation.
II 1t is found then that appreciable
progress has been nede. IL it is
found that it is really possible to
enforce prohibition insofar as the
breaking industry is concerned, the
drive win continue into another
year.
May Ask Modification.
If, on the other hand, little
progress is made, If it is still pos
sible to buy liquor on almost any
and corruption are found to still
flourish, then Secretary OF the
Treasury Mellon, with Administra-
ton backing, is prepared to go be-
fore Congress and recommend that
the Volstead law be modified on the
ground that prohibition is incapable
of adequate enforcement.
This is the story that IS going
the rounds of Washington, and
causing no little interest among
members of Congress.
1t cannot be confirmed. at least
officially. Some Congressman are
it is true others that 1t
is untrue But it persists.
As a corrollary to this story there
Is another to the effect that this
program was agreed upon in a
number of conferences engaged in
Dy President Coolidge and some OF
the biggest figures in the business
world who have become seriously
alarmed over the enormous increase
n crime and lawlessness that has
been noted since the advent Of. con-
;titutional prohibition.
Business Leaders Named
Among those who are mentioned
as engaged in these conferences
and as having subscribed to this
trial period are Judge Ebert III.
Eary, head of the United States
Steel Cornoration. and John d