Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-09-23
Prohibitions In Politics.

run exposure OF the rOttenneSS anu cor =
ruption ia law enforcement under the
political machine built up under the Cool
idee-Mellon regime is being made in
series OF articles now appearing in one Of
the country's popular weekly publications,
from the pen of Maj. Chester P. Mills.
former Prohibition Administrator for the
Second Federal District, which includes
New York City. the Hudson Valley coun-
ties. Long Island and Connecticut.
Major Mills. who was forced out because
he insisted on taking his oath Of Office
seriously and made an earnest effort to
enforce the laws. comes Of distinguished
family and himself has a brilliant war
record. He is a son Of Major General Al
bert L. Mills. a famous army officer. Major
Mills is a West Point graduate. served in
Cuba. the Philippines. Oh the Mexican
border and went To France in 1917 as a
member Of the General Staff. He was re-
tired in 1928 for physical disabilities. He
was appointed prohibition administrator
in 1925. and was soon recognized as one
of the most efficient law administrators in
the entire country
Major Mills writes that when he was
engaged as administrator he was assured
there would be no political interference.
Very soon, he says. he found out the whole
machine was part Of the spoils system
Of the political party 10 power and was
told from headquarters that he would have
ito advise with local party leaders regard
ing appointments, etc. 10 this connection.
the following Illuminating paragraph ap-
pears in Major Mills first article:
Il have no political ak to grind. have
been lifelong Republican. And when
say that during my term Of office not one
Democratic politician asked me for single
favor. it only emphasizes the fact that
prohibition is in politics and run by the
party in power"
Commenting on the attitude OF General
Andrews, then Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury. Major Mills said that Andrews.
as head Of the service, expressed sym
pathy for me in these political taneles. but
he never did anything about it.
Among those whom Major Mills men
toned as having interfered with him one
way or another with his administration Of
his Office. by seeking to control appoint
ments for political henchmen. etc. we're
Ogden l. Mills. then member Of CONGRESS
from New York and now Undersecretary
of the Treasury. in which the prohibition
unit is: Chas. D. Hilles. Of New York. vice.
chairman Of the Republican National Com
mittee: Samuel Koenins. Republican Coun-
~ Chairman Of New York; and some lesser
lights and what Major Mills calls strong
arm political henchmen."
Major Mills tells Of being summoned &c
a conference at Washington as a result Of
his refusal to reinstate some notorious
underlines, some Of whom had been caugh
red-handed in liquor graft cases. Wher
he arrived. he found assembled for th,
conference his chief. General Andrews
Congressman Mills, later Republican can
didste for Governor in New York and nov
Undersecretary of the Treasury and the New
York Republican Chairman. SamI Koenine
Upon being introduced to Congressman
Mills, whom Major Mills refers to as dap
per and o1tspoken gentleman" by Genera
Andrews as lone Of the efficient dry ad
ministrators," Congressman Mills blurtes
out: NO one questions his efficiency, bu
let's talk patronage" The name of Con
gresham Tilson. Republican leader in tn,
House. Is also used in the article will
reference to a cereal beverage permit Til
son urged be issued. Major Mills was late
told by another that II he didn't issue III,
permit Tilson urged. his job wouldn't b,
safe-and It wasn't.
koening had brought about the confer
ence by urging the reinstatement of tn
four men Major Mills had discharged 70
crookedness. As Major Mills puts 1t, Gen
eral Andrews urged him to make peac
with the politicians by reinstatine bot
the crooks and the bunelers." Pressure
he said. was being brought in the hiehes
quarters. and complaints against hir
had been made by Hilles even to tn
President
To show the nature of the politics
appointments made in the service, Majo
Mills says that typical recommendation
for dry agents job was one he receive
from Chairman Livingston. of the King
County (Brooklyn) Republican COMMITTEES
which contained only the following: "Thi
10 to certify that Samuel Gross is an en-
rolled Republican"
The entire story is one Of smuggling, O
corruption. grating, strong arm method.
and Of the conduct OF the whole enforce
ment bureau as a spoils machine, and O
finally being forced out Of the service
Major Mills says;
lin convinced that il | had avoide,
irritating the politicians and confined IN,
efforts TO hopping up streamlets Of booz
and beer instead Of dammine and destroy
ing the sources Of supply. we should hay,
been undisturbed and enforcement wouIt
have gone where il Is headed under IN,
party spoils system-and that is to perdi
ton"
There is merit in the SUGGESTION O
former Senator Hitchcock that the Demo
Gratis should attempt to make the tariff tn,
big issue in the next campaign. There /,
plenty Of ammunition at hand in the pre-
datory duties of the Fordney- McCumbel
tarin and in the employment by the Cool
idee Administration OF the flexible proyis
ions for steadily lacking up the rates unit
the law as il now stands out-Fordney,
Fordney himself.
The farmers especially have come &c
see how badly they have been bamboozled
BY the duties on agricultural products which
we export rather than import and how
heavily they are taxed on the manufac-