New Britain herald., 1929-05-20
PROHIBITION UNIT
 MAY BE SPLIT UP
Officials Say Enforcement and Prosecution Should Be Separate

Washington. May 20 R1Admin- istration officers who have studied the problem of transferring the pro- hibition unit from the treasury to the justice department are of the opinion that the enforcement and prosecution machineries should be under separate heads working in close cooperation.
 They take the view that the pros ecution end, now under the direction of Assistant Attorney General Mabel Walker Willebrandt, is & task of such importance and magnitude that the omcer in charge would be un- able to spare the time for directing the strictly enforcement part of the job. .., ,.'.'..
 Some congressional leaders concur in the view of these officials that the measurement of the qualifications of the enforcement director should be ability as an organizer and adminis- trator rather than as a lawyer or prosecutor. and that the proper per- formance of the task would absorb the full attention of an individual.
 Preliminary surveys of the prohi- bition enforcement field have dis closed that the problem of making the transfer which President Hoover announced in his inaugural address. is an exceedingly intricate one re- quiring the most careful study be- fore legislative recommendations to bring it about are laid before con- gress.
 There are many ramifications of the enforcement problem, with some features of the work spreading to three different departments and to several divisions of the treasury as we'll. A complete transfer of the whole machinery is regarded as out of the question and 1t is recognized that after the necessary legislation has been put into operation close cooperation will have to be main- tained between the several depart ments of the government which still will be concerned.
 There n suggestion that James M. Doran, the prohibition commis- sioner, who is now engaged on . study of the problem, may be made the coordinator with general super vision in the several departments.
 Coast Guard Stays
 One important division of enforce ment is the customs service. which obviously cannot be transferred in the justice department since its primary function is that of collect ing customs taxes and preventing smuggling under the tariff acts.
 The coast guard, which also has become an important arm of prohi- b,ion enforcement, works closely with the customs service. Similarly, enforcement finds its way into the labor department through the immi- grafton service. as the agents on the lorders. in addition to their primary duties. assist in detecting and pre- venting smuggling of intoxicants as we'll as other contraband.
 Another division of enforcement which has . vital bearing on the illicit liquor traffic is that dealing with alcohol and other permits un- der the prohibition act. This is re- garded as a strictly business trans- action which we'll might be placed under the department of commerce.
 Internal revenue agents also have their proper place in the enforce ment machinery. but like the cus- toms agents. they have prior duty that of enforcing the internal rev. enue laws generally.
 From time to time since the en- actment of prohibition there have been suggestions for the organiza- ton of border patrols, combining customs. immigration. internal rev. cnue and coast guard agents, and this question will be given carefui consideration while plans for the transfer of the dry unit are being worked out