Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-09
VETS URGE DRY
Continued from Page One)

abling act which would permit its
police to cooperate with the federal
agencies in enforcing the law.
Modification to check the spread of
crime. insanity and the sale of poi
sonous liquor was advocated in state
mentS filed with the committee by
George Z. Brennan, Democratic ma
tional committeeman from Illinois,
and Anton Cermak, heading an of
fetal committee from Cook county
and Chicago.
Although both came here from Chi
cago to appear in person, neither Mr..
Brennan, who is the Democratic can
d1date for senator from Illinois, nor
Mr.. Cermak took the stand, submit.
ting instead written statements and
long list of statistics. These were
oHered in the record by Julien Cod
man, or Boston, counsel for the vets.
District Attorney Buckner. the only
witness heard at the two hour ses-
sion, expressed the view that he could
enforce prohibition if given the ne
cessary machinery and If congress
would provide for police court in
stead of jury trials for petty Of
fenders.'
Ii jury trials are required Mr..
buckner said SO additional district
judges are needed for his district.
with accompanying district ATTORNEYS,
clerks, marshals, stenographers, and
a total enforcement force of !. 500 drv
agents.
Machinery for the whole state of
New YORK, he estimated, would cost
$fo,ooOo00 annually if all trials were
oy 9urles and $S,000,000 If petty Of
lenders were tried by commission
ers without juries. He advocated the
latter method of trial. declaring that
TINS would greatly facilitate the dis
position of cases.
PROTESTING against the proposal
mat the dry law should pay for its
own enforcement, Mr.. Buckner said
this would be a bad situation since
the treasury should collect revenue
and the department enforce the laws.
jail sentences rather than fines
We're urged by the district attorney
as the most effective of bringing
ABOUT observance of the prohibition
iaWs. lie asserted that hundreds of
thousands of white collar men" IN
New York who now buy LIQUOR would
cease if arrest were certain.
DO you want to put everybody in
Jall VINO violates law" demanded
senator Reed, Democrat. Missouri.
NO., returned Mr.. Buckner. IF T
We're prosecuting under a traffic law
certainly would not"
Senator Reed objected to anv pro-
posal to abolish the right of Jury trial
Ior o1tenses against federal statutes.
suppose we ought to abolish
every Anglo-SaXon right so as to
prevent some one from selling a glass
| of beer" he declared.
higher salaries for prohibition
agents nrdnr 70
ter or the men employed also were
urged by Mr.. Buckner. who said an
agent with family could not live
on his $1,000 salary in New York
City ~
The witness said many agents who
mad quit were trying now to get
back. ee'
why? dashed out Senator Reed.
one man told me he had a good
business and wanted to get his Job
pack because he enjoyed the work. :"
Buckner replied.
Just frankly. now, isn't il be-
cause there is opportunity to make
money!" asked Senator Reed.
The district attorney would moi
commit himself on that, although
ne did tell of efforts to get evidence
against agents. In one case. he said.
man who was paying for protec-
| tlon refused to tell to whom he had
paid money. explaining that if he
did he would be killed within "a
| hours.
Ohhclals of the Federation of La
Dor will be called by the vets to-
morrow as they press their case and
Assistant Andrews, of the treasury
In charge of prohibition enforce
ment, will be recalled later.