Evening star., 1926-04-06

"Poisonous?" asked Senator Reed.
"Oh no." said Gen. Andrews. Al
cohol is just as wholesome as whisky.
THAT is gratifying information,
said Senator Reed.
Senator Reed wanted to know just
how many druggists had been arrest
I'd, but Prohibition Director Jones said
they did not separate the cases of law
violation in that way, and they were
included in the $4,000 arrests in the
year.
Senator Walsh of Montana asked If
there We're not non-refillable bottles
used for drug store whisky.
Director Jones answered that there
was one brand which was raid to b.
paced in non-refillabIe bottles, but
hat in his opinion there was no such
hing In fact
Trying on the Nerves. 4
'All you have to do to fill a nom
Reliable bottle is to pour the liquor
in SLOWLY" said Senator Reed. "Of
course this is trying on the nerves
of a man who is waiting for it.
Senator Means asked II the anti
freeze used at gasoline filling sta
tions was not now being renatured
and used for bootleg purposes. Gen.
Andrews said that this was so and
that the chemical art was developing
20 rapidly that they were not only
using alcohol from anti-freeze, but
lso from embalming fluid. and that
aven wood alcohol is being used.
From the last the poison comes.
Wants Wider Power.
Gen. Andrews said that denatured
alcohol has not been handled under
the law in the same way that beverage
alcohol has been handled; that he was
now asking that they be handled the
same and that he had asked severe
penalties for renaturing industrial al
cohol.
II shall have to ask Congress also
for the right to review annually per-
mits for industrial alcohol" said Gen.
Andrews.
Senator Reed brought out the fact
that the Department now has the
power to revoke such permits for
cause.
You want the power 20 refuse to
renew a permit without giving rea-
son." said Senator Reed. You want a
aw which will make it possible for
you to decline without giving the rea.
son why. You want to revoke permit
on evidence you can't take into court"
Courts Now Crowded.
Gen. Andrews replied that the courts
are crowded now and that he wished
to avoid taking any more cases into
court than he could help. He added
hat he believed that what he was ask
ing was an administrative function,
which would be exercised largely with
regard to the economic reasons for
such business. He pointed out that
he department now has right to de-
o;l t.. ,,rf. hot
"A permit should be granted.
IF we gave a constable the right
to put a man in Jail without going
to court" said Senator Reed, that,
too. would relieve the courts"
Yes, but I am not a constable"
replied Gen. Andrews.
Senator Reed said that he did not
believe that 1t was right to permit an
administrative officer to decide wheth-
er a man who had invested millions
of dollars in business should con-
tinue in that business; that his busi-
ness should not be destroyed without
a court trial.
II don't contemplate any such sit.
uation," said Gen. Andrews. IF you
were engaged in such business and
a permit was denied, you would take
the prohibition administrator into
court"
Senator Reed insisted that it might
not be possible to get him into court.
Huge Turnover in Force.
Gen. Andrews testified that about
10000 employees have passed through
the prohibition unit since it came into
being, and that there are about $500
now employed. Senator Reed wanted
to know why there was such turn
over. Gen. Andrews said that since
he had come into office he had deter
mined to build up loyal force in each
district and that where man was
found who was not loyal he was dis
charged, and large number had been
dropped.
1--WE anticipate that law is to be
passed placing the force under the
civil service and we want to go into
the civil service with high grade men.
How have they. been appointed in
the past?" asked Senator Reed.
Don't you known" asked Gen. An.
drews. "There has been more or less
political reason" Senator Reed wanted
to know who had been recommending
men for appointment and Gen. An
drews replied that the churches, the
w. c. T. u, and the Anti-Saloon
League, and other organizations in.
terested in the enforcement of the law
had recommended men,"
Denies Wheeler Influence.
"Who represented the Anti.Saloon
League in making these requests, I"
| asked Senator Reed.
State superintendents," replied Gen.
Andrews
did Mr.. Wayne B. Wheeler make
recommendations" asked Senator
| Reed.
He never made any recommends
tions to me-" said Gen. Andrews
Gen. Andrews said that he had start
ed out with the intention of having
| the men selected as far as possible
by the administration in the field.
Can the field administrator do
better than to go to the churches
and the Anti Saloon League for
recommendations" asked Senator
Harreld.
They are as good source as any,
said Gen. Andrews. He said that he
thought the situation would do bet
ter when the department could go
to the Civil Service Commission.