Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-02-28
REED TALKS ON
ENFORCE M ENT
OF PROHIBITION

PHOENIX, Feb. q R,-In response
to written question by an Arizona
democrat tonight, Senator James A.
Reed, of Missouri, announced if he
had the power to name men and
judges to enforce the Volstead act
that he would appoint men who
would do so justly and faithfully
and men who did not represent one
side of a question:
'I would try and appoint as
Judges" he said, "men who would
justly decide the law in all cases
and likewise men to enforce all laws
who would do so justly and faith
fully.
"That necessarily means I would
not knowingly select men who repre-
Sented one side of question.
]. w. Ray, a citizen of this city
and a delegate to the state democratic
convention, drew out Senator Reed
on the prohibition question for the
first time since he had opened his
western campaign for the democratic
presidential nomination. Mr. Ray
quietly and unassumingly handed his
questionnaire to the MiSsourian lust
before he went to speak tonight. The
senator read it over and with a smile
Immediately replied. He promised to
discuss it in his speech, as Mr.. Ray
had asked.
GAS a delegate already selected to
the next state convention of the
democratic party" Mr.. Ray wrote i'll
his one page QUESTIONABLE, "and as
a representative of meeting OF some
124 citizens and voters in Phoenix,
desire to ask Senator James Reed
two questions and want an answer
in his address tonight. An answer
that there are more important ques-
tions confronting the democratic
party in the nation will not suffice.
First. If you had the power OF
appointing the chief officer III charge
of the. enforcement OF the Volstead
act, under the 18th amendment would
you appoint person who is known
to be a wet, or one who is known
to be dry. In other words, a
person not in sympathy with the
law. or one who desires to have it
enforced to the letter?
"Seccnd. If you had the power of
appointing judges of the United
States courts, would you select for
such places men who are known
personally to oppose the Volstead act
and the 18th amendment, or men
who personally favor that law? We
assume that any person appointed
would be qualified legally and morally
whatever his views on prohibition.
I'VE are not unnnindful CT Senator
Reeds position when we recall that
he was the author of the Reed act
that prohibited the shipment in inter-
state commerce of prohibited liquors
into dry territory, prior to the 18th
amendment. We are not asking
Senator Reed his private personal
views on prohibition, for with that
we have nothing to do, He has the
same right as we have to an opinion,
but as public man and senator
discussing public questions we think
he should state MS view
Senator Reed since starting west
has stood on the statement that
the democrats 'have bigger fish to
fry than prohibition" and he has
made the theme Of his messages
"party harmony" urging the party to
forget it's differences on controversial
matters and wage a campaign on
the issue Of restoration Of honesty
TO government.
PHOENIX, Feb. 27 P-Republican
claims of economy and prosperity
were assailed tonight by Senator Reed
of Missouri, as he waged mis- fight
here against the administration and
for united democratic party.
The senator complained particularly
of a recent address by President
Coolidge at the government budget
meeting in which he said the presi-
dent ''boasted' the budget bureau had
saved the government millions by
paring down appropriation requests
of the departments.
"Of course" the MiSsourian said,
s'the bureau cut down on these re-
quests. OF course, the departments
asked for more than they expected
to get. But why not mention that
congress cut down last year and in
other years millions on the estimate
submitted by the budget?
IF those words hadn't come from
the president would pronounce them
the worst bit of demagoguery that
ever passed the lips OF any man..
Challenging claims OF prosperity,
the democratic presidential candidate
said that bread lines were forming
in the east and that "the only ones
who can boast OF prosperity or OF
ANYTHING like it are the protected
interests" He said the tariff had
protected the manufacturers but
s'ruined the farmers"
Putting in busy day with Arizona