Evening star., 1926-03-14
paddock CAMPAIGN
THREATENED IN D. c.
U. S. Attorney 0rcut Will Try
to Obtain Injunction in
Batch of Cases.

Paddock njunctions-little tried
weapons in Washington since the ad-
vent of prohibition--will be invoked
with energy during the coming week
In fighting drive to close up local
sources of liquor supply, it was learn
ed last night.
The drive will be pressed by a
specially assigned Assistant United
States Attorney, 1t was learned, who
has spent months in gathering evi-
dence for a carefully planned cam
paign.
Plans for the use of the paddock
njunction--which has been invoked
here only a few times since prohibi-
tion-were learned yesterday in the
course Of an investigation Of vague
charges on the part of certain pro-
hibition officials to the effect that Us
many as SO petitions for paddock in
functions had been prepared for the
District Attorneys Office during the
last II months and that none has been
acted upon.
Gordon Makes Denial.
United States Attorney Gordon,
however, declared emphatically yes
terday that his office had never
heard of any such petitions and that
his Office was willing to stand on its
record for acting on petitions. He
added that many OF the prohibition
cases presented to the District At
torney's office We're not In proper
shape for prosecution.
Seeking more confirmation of
charges that paddock petitions had
been prepared for the District At
torney and not acted upon. 1t was
found that no statistics are availa BILE
at the prohibition unit concerning
petitions fo- paddock inJunctions be-
cause. 1t was explained, the unit was
decentraliHed some months ago with
the result that many cases which
mad heen made" could not be
pushed because OF the absence of
agents who had been transferred to
other parts OF the country or who
had been dropped from the rolls.
1t is known that there Is some
grumbling OH the part of police Of
ficerS who claim that much of their
work in securing evidence apparently
goes for nothing. although they
state they have made purchases of
evidence as many as six, seven and
eight times at the same place with
out having application made for an
injunction to close up the place.
On the other hand. the complaint
was made at the United States At
torney's office that much of the evil
dence brought there is insufficient TO
obtain injunctions. While perma-
nent paddock injunctions have been
obtained by the score In some sec
tlons of the country, only one case
of a permanent injunction could be
recalled here yesterday, that being
the case Of Joseph Graves restaurant
and hotel on G street opposite the
Government Printing Office. Evil
dence was obtained by the now de-
funct vice squad" and the injunc-
ton was dissolved before 1t ran a
full year.
Expect Action This Week.
During the last few months. how
ever, Assistant United States Attor-
ney Orcntt. specially assigned to pro-
hibition work in the upper courts, has
been drilling away at his first batch
of cases on which he will attempt to
obtain paddock injunctions during the
coming week.
From now on. it is stated by officials,
prohibition enforcement in Washing.
wa "Aii Do Aidl hcu WIFI paddock IN
junction proceedings wherever pos.
sible. 1t is the opinion of the legal
division of the prohibition unit that
the Injunction is one of the surest
ways Of obtaining quick and efficient
results under the dry law. Tests in
other parts of the country are be-
lieved to have proved that.
While use Of the injunction in Wash.
fngton has been confined to a few
temporary restraining orders against
violators of the prohibition act dur.
ing the last six years the Injunction
has been gaining rapid ground, ac.
cording to Wayne B. Wheeler of the
Anti-Saloon League. who gave figures
from portions of the country showing
an increase of more than 100 per cent
in paddock injunctions during 1926
over 1924.