Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-15
MELLON REJECTS
ADDED DRY FUND
Secretary Urges Surveys of
Enforcement Agencies
Before Action.


While admitting that additional funds
might be used to advantage in various
parts of the Government for the en-
forcement of prohibition. Secretary OF
the Treasury Mellon today formally
disapproved the appropriation Of $685.
100000 for the Bureau of Prohibition
provided in the first deficiency bill now
before the Senate. The item was pro-
posed by Senator Harris of Georgia, q
dry.
!, In a three-page letter to Chairman
Warren of the Senate appropriations
committee, Secretary Mellon suggested
that no such large sum be given the
Bureau of Prohibition until surveys OF
the Department of Justice. Customs
Coast Guard and other agencies Which
help enforce prohibition could be made
to determine their needs.
NO such appropriations should be
made" the secretary said. until they
can be definitely allocated to certain
specific purposes, adding that ANY
other method of procedure will neces-
sarily result in the eXtravagant use of
the public funds
Problem Many Sided.
The Secretary's letter was in answer
TO one from Senator Warren asking for
q statement las to whether in the opin-
ion of the department such sum could
be judiciously expended, and if grant,
ed by Congress how such an amount
would be allocated."
The problem of prohibition enforce
nent," said the Secretary in his reply,
has many ranlifcations, and its sue
cesSful solution depends not only on
ample appropriations for the Bureau of
Prohibition. but on the activities and
situation of other departments and bu-
reaus of the Government. The question,
therefore, of whether an increase of
$25, 100000 in the amount appropriated
for the Bureau of Prohibition will ac-
complish the results desired by the
Congress and this department is not
one that can be answered without q
thoroughgoing survey of the entire
field, for I assume, of course, that II
any such large sum is to be appropriat-
ed Congress will desire it to be used
with the utmost effectiveness and in a
way calculated to bring about the great
-.
major difficulties encountered in max
ing the prohibition laws truly effective
is the congestion in the United States
courts occasioned In large part by nu-
merous pending prohibition cases. 1t
would seem desirable, therefore, if the
Congress deems it advisable to appro-
PIRATE an additional sum of SIS, 000, 900
for this general purpose, that some con-
Sideration should be given to whether a
part of this sum at least should not be
allocated to the Department OF Justice.
As to the needs of the Department Of
Justice am of course, not in a position
to express an opinion.
Sea Coast Fight Described.
"The problem of smuggling is an I'M
portant one. It's prevention Is largely
dependent, insofar as our sea coast is
concerned, on the adequacy of the feet
maintained by the Coast Guard and in
part on an adequate customs force at
cur various ports; and insofar as our
land borders are concerned, on an effec-
tive patrol of the borders. On account
OF or- failure thus far to secure salts.
facto..' agreement with Canada. which
in my opinion, would materially reduce
the liquor traffic coming over the Cana
dian border, the necessity of thorough
going survey as to the best means OF
increasing the effectiveness of our
border patrol is apparent This the
Department has recently undertaken.
Insofar as the Coast Guard is con-
cerned, some time ago I instructed
Admiral Billiard to submit a report as to
the adequacy of the present Coast Guard
feet, together with an estimate of the
Coast Guard building needs over the
period OF the next five years.
The problem of securing the necces-
eary personnel under the provisions OF
existing law applying the civil service
10 the Bureau of Prohibition and Gus
toms Border Patrol must likewise be
taken into consideration. Up to the
present time, 1t has been possible to
make permanent appointments for only
portion of the service and it is an
ticipated that many months will elapse
before the provisions of the civil Serv-
ice act can be fully applied through the
furnishing of adequate eligible registers
for the present positions.
additional Fund Could Be Used"
I'm so far as the Bureau of Prohi.
bition itself is concerned. some addi-
tional funds could be advantageous,
used at the present time in increased
investigational activities and in a weli.
considered educational program. Look
ing to the future, it will not doubt be
advantageous to provide additional
funds for increased border patrol of the
custom service and an increased Gus
toms force at some of the principal
ports of entry, and increased equipment
for the Coast Guard
THE department desires. of course
to see every reasonable provision made
for the adequate enforcement of the
law. but 1 do not believe that any
such large sum as is provided for In
the present deficiency bill should b;
appropriated until the surveys above
suggested have been completed ano
until 1t can be determined how any
increased amounts can be most wisel.
and effectively % expended. In other
words, am not prepared to say tina
prohibition enforcement cannot be
made more effective by the expendi
ture Of increase amounts for this pur
pose. but I do feel that no such ap
preparations should be made until they
can be definitely allocated to certain
specific purposes, and that any othe
method of procedure will necessaril.
result in the extravagant use OF tn
g. lc