The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-03-12
PROHIBITION ENFORCEMENT

Board OF Temperance and Pubic
Morals.
There is too much of a disposition
on the part of many people to jump
to general conclusions in regard to
prohibition enforcement. lit is"
says one man, las satisfactory as
ccould be expected SO soon after the
enactment of the law" 1t is, !"
says his neighbor, "a disgrace and a
farce; the government is making no
effort to enforce the law; it is on
the contrary simply trying to dis
credit prohibition preparatory to a
proposal to repeal it, =
The truth is that prohibition en-
forcement is satisfactory in spots
and highly unsatisfactory in other
spots. The reorganization was adj
mirably conceived and the proposed
measures to perfect it by law are
commenable. Since General An
drews assumed control series OF
magnificent regulations have been
promulgated and effective measures
have been taken in various direc-
lions. The policy OF decentraliza-
ton has proven unsatisfactory, pre-
venting Washington from taking
immediate and effective measures to
remedy bad conditions arising from
ineficiency or susceptibility OF ad-
Illustrators to local political in
fluence. With quick perception, the
Prohibition Unit seems to have
realized this, as is indicated by the
announced purpose to organize q
mobile alcohol squad under the
command of Mr.. Foster.
Wholesale condemnation of the
administration of prohibition en-
forcement is unwarranted. Essen
TALLY, the administration of enforce
ment is sound. No good purpose is
served by unjust wholesale con-
demnation, nor by suspicion of the
good faith of the government. A
good purpose is served by frank
criticism of faults in administration
and by vigorous efforts to secure a
change in local administration in
those districts where prohibition en-
forcement is ineffective because OF
inefficiency, lack of Interest," or in
fidelity to the service.
Prohibition enforcement must rest
upon the wholehearted confidence OF
the dry majority of the nation. The
administration of the federal prohi-
bition law in some districts has not
the confidence of the dry organi-
cations or individuals.
In the State of Maryland a re-
I organization of federal prohibition
administration is urgently needed.
Z Whether Mr.. Budnitz can be justly
accused of being wet or not, it is
beyond dispute that he is believed
throughout the State OF Maryland
and the State of Delaware to be wet
in his sympathies, hostile to the
principle of the prohibition law and
without the ability to enforce it.
The conditions in Maryland are bad.
The governor is attempting to make
political capital of his opposition to
the law. Prohibition has. no metro
politan newspaper support. The
political machines are absolutely
against it and they control the
politics of the state. In Baltimore,
powerful. influences encourage vio-
lation of the law as contributory to
the movement for its destruction.
In some of the southern counties of
Maryland, utterly disgraceful con-
ditions prevail, large stills operating
seemingly without the least opposi-
ton on the part OF local officials.
II any state in the nation deserves
an administrator known by every
individual in the state to be heart
and soul friend of the prohibition
determination, who can and will up
hold the dignity and power OF the
federal government, who will DEM
onstrate the ascendancy OF the
United States government over Grim
inals and nullitiers, that state is
Maryland. Budnitz ought to be re-
placed by way of convincing the
people OF Maryland that the United
States government wants the law en-
forced if for no other reason.
In the case of Maryland, it seems
that the bad situation is. due to
political influence which is un-
friendly to the law.
No one would claim that prohi-
bition enforcement is what it ought
to be. 1t seems that instead of
firing men the Prohibition Unit
would be hiring them and they
ought to hang on desperately to
every man who has proven his
fidelity and ability. Diseharging
such men or replacing them with
inexperienced men at the dictation of
politicians is ruinous. Congress is
perfectly willing to appropriate suf-