Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-26
The Willebrandt Articles.

critical and searching analysis of pro-
hibition enforcement in the United
States with the fiat statement that
Prohibition Is not being effectively en-
forced" Mrs. Mabel Walker Willebrandt
offers six recommendations for improv-
ing the conditions that exist. None Of
them is new. All, in one form or an
other, have been talked about since
prohibition was enacted, and the six
might be summarized in three as
follows:
/. Through combination and co-ordi-
nation, centralize the evidence col
lecting, prosecution and border patrol
activities Of the Department Of Justice
and the Treasury.
2. Take politics out Of enforcement
work and the selection Of United
States district attorneys.
3. Cut off the bootleg supply Of in
dustrial or specially denatured alcohol
The first step is now being seriously
considered by this administration, as it
was by preceding administrations.
There has been notable progress to-
ward the attainment Of the second
step by putting prohibition enforcement
officers under the civil service, and by
the weeding-out process in the selec-
ton and retention Of United States at
torfieys begun after the election Of Mr.
Hoover.
There is still disagreement over the
best method of eliminating the bootleg
flow Of industrial alcohol, and con-
troversy over the extent of the evil as
handicap to enforcement work.
Mrs. Withdrawals recommendations
are practical and specific. She has
minced no words in describing the con-
ditions that should be corrected. II
her eight years in Office gave her an
extraordinary opportunity to look be-
hind the curtain on the evils of pro-
hibition enforcement, the picture only
strengthened her opinion that prohibit
ton is worth while and that 1t can
be enforced. She has dealt with the
problem, not as a moral reformer. but
as student of government.
But, her critics will ask, what good
has this done? If she was unable
to put her recommendations into eff
feet as the Assistant Attorney General
in charge of prohibition work. what
hope has she of making them effective
as a private citizen writing articles for
the newspapers?
The answer to this lies in the ma
ture and content Of Mrs. Withdrawals
series Of articles. Coming from the
pen of one who won her spurs as a
noted crusader for prohibition, her de-
scription Of enforcement work has been
surprisingly frank and candid. 1t was
surprising because the foremost propo-
nents Of prohibition have not been not
able for frankness. For some reason they
have preferred to concentrate their at
tention and remarks upon the bright side
of prohibition and have shown tend
ency to gloss over or neglect alto
gether the dark side. With their eyes
fixed firmly on the goal ahead, they
have refused to examine the ground
underfoot. The result Of this attitude
has been that revelations of the weak
nesses of prohibition are placed In the
category of wet propaganda and de-
nounced as untrue, instead Of receiv-
ing the attention that they deserve as
the natural accomplishments of such a
drastic step as nation wide prohibition
through statute.
Mrs. Willebrandt, discussing this
dark side Of prohibition with the au-
thority Of one who has looked upon 1t
from the inside, and interpreting 1t
from the standpoint Of dry, has open
ed millions of eyes and showed them
things they thought were the malicious
imaginings Of the vets. She has put
the cards on the table, faces up. If
the drys have the winning hand, they
have no doubt, now, Of what the other
fellows holds. They should play the
game accordingly.
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