Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-05-05
HEARING RESUMED
ON DRY LAW BILLS
Senator Edge Heard in Sc
cret observation-disclosures on
Stand Tomorrow.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Further hearings on measures for
modifying and Strengthening the Vol
stead act were begun today by the
Senate prohibition committee behind
closed doors
The vets had their innings for two
hours, with Senator Edge. Republica n,
New Jersey, as their chief spok esma n.
Tomorrow the committee will hear
Gen. Lincoln G. Andrews. in charge
Of dry law enforcement, on the six
administration measures for putting
teeth into the Volstead act.
Measures ranging from modficatio
of the eighteenth amendment to a
referendum on the Nolstead act had
precedence. but. with the committee
composed of four drys and one wet
the anti-prohibitionists had no doubt
as to the fate of their bills.
Besides these mea Sures the commit
tee had before il more than half n
dozen administra ton bills designed TO
strengthen the Volstead act and TO
broaden the powers of the prohibition
forces in preventing smuggling both
across the international borders and
from the sea.
Little Hope for Early Action.
While the prohibitionists favor
these mea sures on the whole, they
entertain little hope of seeing any of
them translated into law at this SEES
sion. Nearly all Of them carry provi-
sions which the vets regard as an in
vasion of rights guara nteed under the
Constitution. and they are prepared
to wage long warfare against them.
Senator Reed. Democrat, Missouri,
the one wet Of the subcommittee who
furnished most of the fireworks at
the public hearings, is prepared to
make a fight for some of the wet
bills proposing modification of the
Volst cad act and a national refer
endum on that law. Losing there. he
will carry on his fight against the sd-
ministration bills and particuls rly
against the proposal to give the pro-
hibition forces the right to search
dwellings where there is suspicion
that liquor Is being distilled for com
mercial purposes.
Publication of correspondence he
| tween the American and British gov
ernments. meanwhile. has disclosed
that the conference which is to take
place in London shortly to consider
plan ms for tightening the bars against
smuggling of liquor into the United
States il a British rather than an
American idea.
The invita- ton was extended 'as a
proof of the desire of his ma Jest 8
government to give such assistance
| as is possible lin the circumstances
! to the American authorities in their
effort to enforce prohibition.
Willingness of the British to prose
cute smugglers on evidence furnished
by American agents is expressed In
| the correspondence. which also gives
details of rigid application of British
| shipping laws against vessels sus
pected of rum running. The agree
| ment ito permit specified United
| States cutters to enter British terri
| torial waters at Gun Bay. and the is
lands contiguous thereto" to cOmba
rum running from the Bahamas also
is explained. This concession is
Limited to a period of one year, at
the end of which time his ma jest Y $
government will be prepared to enter
tain request for the continuance of
The arrangement