Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-07
"Youth Being Ruined" Says
EdWards-House Debate
Wakes Personal.
BILL TO GIVE DRY NAVY
100000 MORE BEATEN
Measure introduced to Set Up Sep
arate Bureau in Treasury De-
partment for Enforcement.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY &. GOULD LINCOLN.
Prohibition was lambasted and de
Tended at both ends of the Capitol
yesterday
The boys and girls of the country
are being ruined" under the condi-
tons prevailing since the enactment
of the Nolstead act. the vets pro
claimed.
The girl of today is as good as
she ever was" declared Represen.
tative Murphy of Ohio, on the floor
of the House.
While the discussion ragged in the
House and Senator Edwards of New
Jersey was preparing and issuing
statement declaring that sentiment in
the country was crysta liking for
modification of the Volstead act, two
significant and important steps were
taken by the friends of prohibition.
Dry Bureau Proposed.
First. an administration bill was
introduced in the Senate and House
to set up a bureau of prohibition in
the Treasury Department for the bet
ter enforcement of the prohibition
law
Second, the Cramton bill placing all
employees of the prohibition unit under
the civil service was reported favor
ably to the House from the committee
on civil service.
When these measures come before
the House and Senate for considera-
ton the stage will be set for a vigor-
Gus battle over prohibition. The
'drys" today have the votes in both
bodies to snow under opposition. But
the ''wets" are counting on bringing
the question again before the country.
In this connection the Association
Against the Prohibition Amendment
is planning a second "face-the facts"
conference at the Mayfower Hotel
here February %.
Senator Edwards in his statement
praised Rev. DR.. James Empripgham
secretary of the Church Temperance
Society of the Protestant Episcopal
Church.
Praises DIR. Empringham.
Il am glad to learn of at least one
high churchman of considerable re-
pute who has the temerity to express
his frank conviction that the Eolstead
act should be modified" said Senator
Edwards. This is happy symptom
of renewed and healthy thought on a
subject which for some unknown
reason has been taboo since the Anti
Saloon League set up headquarters in
Washington and proceeded to intimi-
date members of Congress and dare To
interpret the convictions of America :"
Senator Edwards said there was mo
need for the Anti-Saloon League or
any other league or body in America
to pretend liquor is not being sold in
every city. town and hamlet of the
United States.
AS a matter of fact he cor
t1nued, lit is being sold in such ride
ulously large quantities and can be
obtained with such consummate ease
by young and old that it is proving
not only the ruination but the dam
nation Of hundreds and even thou
sands of young boys and girls.
Garry Rum in Open.
Right here In our own city of
Washington young men and women
under 20 years Of age can be seen
nightly under the influence of liquor
and carrying hip-pocket TASKS with
apparently no attempt being made to
conceal their illicit intentions"
Senator Edwards said he believed
the only remedy" for the situation
was to repeal that act (which has
CTlIIllIldlS ana OrUnEaTQS.
The New Jersey Senator said that
prohibition was being made by As.
sistant Secretary of the Treasury Lin.
coin c. Andrews.
IF he has failed-ard he hast
is because of the fact that the pres
ent reading of the Volstead act will
not and cannot lend itself TO a reason
able Interpretation of the eighteenth
amendment said Senator Edwards.
A sharp prohibition debate was pre-
cipitated in the House yesterday after
noon by Representative John Philip
Hill, Baltimore's widely known anti
prohibitionist. and candidate for the.
Republican nomination for Senator
next Fall. Mr.. Hill offered an amend
ment TO the deficiency appropriation
bill proposing the item for new rum
chasers be increased by $4,000 900.
The bill carried $4,000
"Drys" Suspicious.
The Hill amendment was viewed
with suspicion by the "drys, and its
proposal was followed by a discus
sion which at times threa tened 10 re-
suit in physical encounters. a dozen
or more members of the House took
part.
Representative Sabbath of Illinois,
Democrat. opposed the additional ap-
preparation on the ground that the
department had not asked for it. Mr.
Hill wanted to know if he would favor
guarding each ten miles of the coast
and Mr.. Sabbath replied:
Even the sum proposed would not
stop the smuggling that is going on,
and for that reason it would be an
unnecessary expense and place an ad-
ditional burden upon the taxpayers. I
pride myself on knowing the Ameri-
can people and I know that neither
the Volstead act nor any other SINH
lar statute can be enforced, 1t mat
tiers not how much money you spend"
I'VE have evidences from men of
standing, men of reputation, men who
believe in temperance. They say that
after a careful investigation, they are
convinced the VolStead act cannot be
enforced, and they make recommends.
lions Of what they believe would be
wholesome and beneficial and would
save thousands upon thousands Of
young girls and young men of
America"
IT challenge the gentleman's state
ment that our young girls are any
worse today than they ever were"
shouted Representative Murphy of
Ohio. That statement has been
made nv men of yo1Jr TUNA on ,oanr