Evening star., 1927-04-14
.DOUTHITT OUTLINES
DRY DRIVE PLANS
Member in Every Block Is
Aim of Proposed Church
Service Association.

A member in every city block whose
duty It would be to report evidence
of violation Of the prohibition laws, Is
the most important feature OF the
plans of the Church Service Associa,
ton of Washington, now being
formed under the sponsorship of the
Orga nized Bible Class Association. ac-
cording to Harry n. Douthitt, eXecu-
tive secretary of the Church Service
organiza ton.
While engaged as a prohibition en-
foreement agent in the Federal unit
here, Mr.. Douthitt conceived the
plan of enlistiDg the support Of in
dividual church members here and
the idea was famed into a fame of
enthusiasm at the WaShington's 8
birthday banquet Of the Organized
Bible Glass Association when Maj, Ed
win B. Hesse. superintendent Of pO-
lice, made it plain 20 the church peo-
pie of the District that he needed their
assistance in enforcing the law.
1000 Cards Distributed.
Plans for launching the organiza-
tion into the work of cleaning up the
city Of speakeasies, bootlegging and
Illegal manufacturing of liquor ara al
most confined exclusively to Horace
J.. Stevenson, son Of Rev. DIR. Hugh
Il Stevenson, pastor of Bethany Bap-
tist Church and president of the AS
sociation. and Mr.. Douthitt.
-Four thousand membership apprca-
tion cards, the cost for printing Of
which was betrayed by the Organized
Bible Class Association, have been dis
tributed among the church members
of Washington and until they are col
lected Mr.. Douthitt is unable to say
how many persons have agreed to
enlist in the crusade which Maj. Hesse
is waging against violators Of the pro.
hibition statutes.
With a membership of $1,000 adults
scattered throughout the city and a
permanent headquarters in operation
the association would be able to keep
an eye, ear and nose on all move
ments designed to Illustrate the pro-
visions of the eighteenth amendment
according to the plans now on foot.
Would Prevent Spite Work.
"If a member living in one block
learns of the existence of a speak
easy, still or bootlegging activities" :"
said Mr.. Douthitt, 1T would be his
duty to obtain all the information
he could without exposing himself
and then report it to Headquarters.
This, in turn, would be investigated
by us and II found to contain suffi-
cient evidence to notify the police
they would be furnished with the in
formation and could act accordingly.
Then If some one calls up and tells
us that liquor is being sold in such-and-
such place. by looking in the card
index of the membership we would be
able to pick out that man or men
nearest the place in question and ask
them to investigate. From my ex,
perience many people will deliberately
report liquor law violations against
some one for spite, where investiga-
tion will show there is no evidence
against them. There will have to be
q sifting-out process before the police
would be called upon to make an in
vestigation that would occupy much
of their time and probably prove
worthless.
Gets Police Cooperation.
"The advantage of our members
over the police is that they can work
quietly and even openly without re-
vealing their identity, whereas the
police, who are well known to all
deliberate violators, would have to
undergo a certain amount of exposure
to get the evidence"
Mr.. Douthitt, who now is working
personally against speakeasies, and
who reports his activities daily to Maj.
Hesse, said he is receiving absolute
perfect cooperation from the police.
Maj. Hesse, by his determined stand
TO enforce the prohibition laws, is
the "best liked man in the city," by
the Bible class members, the former
agent said.
The idea for the association was ap-
proved in principle by the Organized
Bible Class Association, according to
Page NICK. Etchison, executive secre-
tary. who stated that additi al detail
ed plans of IT'S operations have not
yet been placed before his organiza-
zion, and probably will not be until
the stage is set to send it out into the
field. In the meantime, everything
is being left to Mr.. Douthitt and Mr.
Stevenson, with respect to whipping
the organization into a functioning
body.