Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-08

country" remarked Senator Peed
Democrat. Missouri, the one ayowed
wet on the committee of five.
You ought to know" interiected
CHAIRMAN Means as the crowd roared.
I do" shot back Senator Reed. and
another shout went up.
Called as witness by the vets. who
continued the presentation of their
case at both morning and night ses-
slohs, Mr.. Buckner pictured an i'm
proVement in endorsements conditions.
He paid tribute to Assistant Secreta-
ry Andrews of the treasury, who has
charge of prohibition enforcement, de-
claring:
General Andrews is the best thing
that ever happened for prohibition"
Alcohol diversion has decreased, he
said, since Andrews took that situa-
ton by the throat last September.
Taking the alcohol distilleries around
New York alone, he estimated that
General Andrews alcohol squad had
reduced diversions to the point where
the bootleg traffic had been lessened in
the sum total of s216, 100000 in po-
tential sales.
The district attorney disclosed that
bootleg alcohol from this country finds
it's way into Canada.
"The dry United States is export
ing bootleg industrial alcohol into
Canada" he said, ito help the Can
adam bootleggers beat the Canadian
government out of taxes"
Getting back to his own district
Mr.. Buckner told of improvement
there since he took Office IS months
ago. He declared that at that time
he had found the federal building "a
seething mass" of "fixers," bootleg
gers, walters and others arrested on
charges of law violations.
Federal judges told him, he added.
that the very atmosphere of the
building breathing of COLLISION ard
he also had information that jury
fixing went on within = the federal
building itself.
Arrests for petty offences against
The prohibition law totalled about
10000 a year. he said, adding that the
New York City police commissioners
had told him that he received $780,
600 complaints year, directed most
ly against speak easies." and that
Of course he had to act upon them.
"The thousands the police arrest
are only a small fraction of T. ;e
who violate the law, are they not?"
asked Senator Reed.
Probably" Buckner said.
"IIow small a fraction?" pursued
Senator Reed. -
II could not say; l have made no
estimate"
"As a matter Of fact are there not
millions of violations in New Yorl;
City every year," Senator Reed in
sisted.
u will not commit myself on that, -
Buckner replied.
Referring to bootleg liquor seized
by prohibition officers, the district
attorney said his chemists foun j
traces of poison in 90 percent Of it.
The condition of this liquor de-
ponds upon the conscience and tech
nique of the bootlegger," he declared
as the spectators roared with laugh
ter.
District Attorney Buckner dis
closed that an investigation of the
drug stores in New York showed that
they drew out of bonded warehouses
twice as much liquor as the physi-
clans of New York could prescribe
on the legitimate prescription blanks
issued to them at the rate of 100
every three months.
Assuming that the druggists sold
the pure stuff, he estimated total
possible legal sales on prescriptions
at 100000 gallons a year, and said the
records showed Withdrawals of 4S0,-
600 gallons by the 1900 drug stores in
greater New York licensed to dis
pense Whiskey.
Senator Harreld, Republican. Okla
homa, objected TO the district attor-
ney indicting the entire druggist
trade by saying that this liquor was
cut before being sold.
DO you think a druggist who
would sell liquor illegally would OBJ
iect to putting a little water in it?'
inquired Senator Reed.
There are no chambers of COM
merce in the underworld" Buckner