Evening star., 1929-06-25

Orders against the use of riot guns
by customs officers and prohibition
agents on the Canadian border are gen.
orally commended by the press, although
there is a strong sentiment against any
action which would render the Govern
ment forces helpless against armed
bootleggers and approval Is given Presi-
dent Hoover's appeal to communities for
aid in enforcing the law against inter-
national criminals.
ut was high time" says the Chicago
Daily News of the riot gun order.
Scatter guns that shoot motor-car
drivers in the head when their wielders
aim at the tires of the vehicles, or
think they do. are not OF a sort to pro-
mote order and progress. Protests by the
Canadian government as well as by
American communities against the use
of such tools could not be ignored
longer. This does not mean that activi-
ties against booze smugglers Will be
relaxed"
"The ruthless war which the extreme
prohibitionists had tried to start against
the violators of the Volstead act has
been, If not called on, at least seriously
modified" declares the New York Times,
after be, so far as the President can
make it so, a civilized warfare" AS to
further action, the Nashville Banner
contends that at is rank folly to talk
about disarming the so-called dry
forces II anybody desires them to
amount to anything. Bootleggers are
strangely Indifferent to moral suasion." :"
"It is not surprising that the situa-
ton Is causing concern In Official
circles and is commanding the personal
attention of the President" thinks the
Pittsbureh Post-Gazette, and that paper
argues that "the size and difheulty OF
the problem, as we'll as the necessity Of
strengthening the border patrol Is q
part Of any serious enforcement pro-
gram, are admitted, but there can be
no justification for a reign OF terror.
even though in the name OF the law"
The gun order impreSSes the 1ndianap-
oils News as humane and timely"
while the Asbury Park Evening Press
believes that "the President has In
augurated campaign to place prohi-
bition enforcement on a higher plane"
ABUSES by the prohibition forces
should not be accepted as justification
for any let-up in the effort to dam the
food of alcohol that flows from Can
ada" insists the Philadelphia Evening
Bulletin, however. Pending a
satisfactory solution Of prohibition
problems, the plain duty of the Presi-
dent Is to enforce the law, and support
of his efforts in that direction should
not be weakened by sporadic manifesto
tions Of excessive zeal or unjustified
actions on the part of underlings."
"That there is duty of citizens in
border communities and other places to
aid in the enforcement of the prohibi-
ton law and to war against violators,
as we'll as for enforcement officers not
to abuse their authority, particularly
by the promiseuous use Of firearms, will
be generally conceded by every right
thinking man and woman" in the
the Meridian Star comments: "Prohi-
, bition is here to stay. Few thinking
citizens would tolerate the old-time wet
regime, We argue not against the use,
| but against the misuse, of prohibition
! We have faith that Mr.. Hoover will
| find the way to curb his prohibition
| gunmen-for the sake of the national
dry amendment and for the safety
security and happiness of ALL
! "Ofcial murder" is the term EN-.
, ployed by the Fort Wayne News-Sen.
| tlIicl LO ueSCI1pc tllC pOIuer SuOOClNBS
The Birmingham News contends thai
| the statement by Mr.. Hoover in which
he deplered the killings and asked fol
help from communities on the bordel
was wrung from him reluctantly b,
| reason of storm of protest that ha.
struck the White House." and the New,
adds, 1T is the Virkula case in Mime
sofa that constitutes the last straw,
The springfield (Massl Union sees e,
state Of siege which Is highly dangerous
to the border communities" and thi
that "the men who are being killed ar,
all too seldom criminals
~
sTfe President makes a raasonai,i