The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-06-17
SAYS LEAGUE PLAYS
LEGITIMATE ROLE ONLY

Washington, June 11.-(R--Under
a machine gun fusilade Of question
ing by James A. Reed. the wet Demo
cratic senator from Missouri, Wayne
Il. Wheeler of the Anti-Saloon
League maintained today before the
senate campaign funds committee
that the league had played only y
legitimate role in politics. in legis-
lation and in litigation arising under
the dry laws.
The leagues entire financial chest
for 1925, the witness estimated, would
not run over $150,SO0 or $500, 900. He
said that he himself received sal
airy Of $G66 a month from the organ
izatior, and had no other source Of
income.
Several times Reed accused the
witness Of failure to make definite
replies and asked that exact facts
and figures be produced later for
the committee. This Wheeler prom
Used to do.
The methods and policies Of the
ArtiSaloon League were debated hot
~ by Wheeler and Senator Reed.
Crowd Held Brcathless
Beginning as Il soft-spoken cx-
change Of question and answer, the
encounter soon brought on war of
words in which thrust and rotor,
flew swiftly back and forth across
the table, while Il crowd in which
standing room was at premium
looked on tense and .breathlcss.
Wheeler was called because Of his
public assertions that the liquor in.
tercsts had contributed to the cX-
pcnditurcs in Pennsylvania recent
S2,GnG o90 Republican primary, but
before he came to that subject Reed
! ran the scale Of the leagues general
policies and Whccler's association
with them.
The witness declared that he had
not 'intcrfcrcd" in prohibition eases
pending in the courts, except by way
Of seeing to it that dry agents arc
not Framed by thy liquor people"
For his part, Reed ran bvcr Il
list Of cases in which the league at
torneys had had a part, and accused
the league of passing on the guilt
or innocence of the accused, in some
instances in advance of hearing.
Some Answers Indefinite
To questions relating to the num-
Der Of cases involving league activi-
ties, and to the amount Of his own
salary in past years, Wheeler often
returned indefinite answers, saying
he had not known about what he was
to be examined, and had not brought
the necessary data. TO this Reed
replied that the witness was forget
ting how to use the words Eyes," and
mo
"There arc questions that you can't
answer yes or mo-, rctorted Wheel
err.
"Mr. Wheeler, you are going to
answer as other witnesses are re-
CURED to 40, Asaid Reed, "but you
will get a fai4Mchance to answer"
Reed then directed the witness to
produce the record of each case in
which 'you have interfered."
>"We don't call it interference
Wheeler protested, 1--WE simply pre-.
sent the facts"
Explains Duties
Explaining the duties of the legis-
lative superintendent of the Anti
Saloon League, Wheeler said he
worked against bills in congress ia
modify the dry law and for bills ia
strengthen it.
"You spend most of your time then
talking with members of congress ?"
mo, most Of it is by correspond.
ence."
Wheeler also said that the legal
division Of the league here assisted
in prosecutions in dry violation cases
by preparing briefs and sometimes
appearing as a friends of the court
in constitutional cases.
"Have you assisted inA the prose Gu
ton of prohibition enforcement off
GERS charged with failure to enforce
the law?''
"Yes, in cases where the officers
have gone wrong. We have gotten
into touch with the prosecution Off
GERS and given them the facts and
asked that the men be brought to
justice"
BLIND JUSTICE NOT SO BLIND
Berlin-Prisoners wreaked their
vengeance on Judge recently when