Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-24
Need Of Patience, Courage and
Tolerance in Solution Prohi-
bition Question, View of
Chicago Mayor-Says Pres
ent State of Affairs in Big
Cities Cannot Continue
Asks Congress for Relief
Measures

Washington. April 23-P)-Con-
gress was asked today by William e.
Dever of Chicago to provide some
measure of relief from the present
desperate situation under the Vol
stead act.
Appearing of his own yolition be-
fore the senate prohibition committee,
the mayor declared that although he
was elected on reform and law OBJ
servance platform, he had decided af-
ter mature consideration that worlds
of harm" was resulting from the pres
ent state of affairs. particularly in
the larger cities.
'Its great matter for this COM
mittee to ponder" he said, whether
we are going to continue a system
that has this effect on the great cities
of the country. / am hoping that the
day will come when We can be reliev-
ed of this situation.
MIR. Dever added that he himself
has. no remedy to propose and did not
believe amy other man In America
is big enough to give the answer at
this time" He counselled both vets
and drys that the ultimate solution
must be reached In a patient. cour-
ageous, intelligent and tolerant" man.
ncr. and suggested that the two sides
to the controversy get together on
the basis of concessions" by both.
The Chicago executive occupied the
stand during most of today's single
committe session but just before adj
inglrnmpnf f.cnera1 Andrau-o
called to begin a recapitulation Of
government enforcement methods. An
effort will be made to bring the thee
weeks Of hearings to close tomor-
row, with further testimony by the
dry chief and possibly others, and
closing arguments by both sides.
The dry still have two hours ard
twenty minutes remaining. and the
vets have one hour. Both sides will
take up an hour for argument, and
two sessions of the committee would
be necessary If the end is to come to-
morrow.
For the grand finale Of the coIorful
drama the committee will move into
the big caucus room in the senate Of
flee building, where a much larger
crowd can be accommodated.
Chairman Harreld suggested the
change, saying he had been besieged
by those unable to get standing room
for the hearings. and Senator Reed,
Democrat. Missouri, replied:
"Oh, well IL you want to make this
a Roman holiday, / have no objec-
tons"
Occupying the stand for more than
an hour, Mayor Dever told the COM
mittee the Volstead act could be reas-
onably enforced by a thorough
cooperation between the federal,
state, county and municipal authori-
ties. He said it was being enforced
In many sections now.
We have driven the open liquor
traffic out Of Chicago" he declared.
BY that do not mean that we have
stopped whiskey drinking or the I'M
der-coyer Gale. But We have made II
difficult for liquor to be obtained"
The mayor again assailed United
States District Attorney Olson, Of
Chicago. for his testimony before the
committee that stills are operating in
homes in Chicago with the knowledge
OF the police.
Explaining that the only way the
police could act would be to seek
search warrants so as to enter the
homes and seize the stills. Mayor De-
yer declared that such enforcement
OF the Law would become oppressive
10 ne people and that they probably
would revolt
I am opposed to that program and
there VIII be none Of II while / am
mayor Of Chicago" he said.