Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-05
MRS. W|LLEBRANDT
TELLS EXPERIENCE
Reveals Problems of Dry Law
and Role in Last Presi-
Dental Race.
Continued From First Page,

IL is WoTbn lou 10 nave won tnaC
comment from him. but IL does not stop
leading papers from harsh editorial
comment. Personal criticism rarely oc-
CURED prior to last Summers cam
psign. / suppose. though, that every
heated campaign must have its straw
man" to hang in effigy to appease a
bowling populace. In this campaign l
seem to have been destined for that
doubtful honor. OF course. The much
heralded Springfield. Ohio. speech to
the MethodiStS" wasn't an attack on
the rival candidates religion, and it
wasn't in church. and didn't 60 as
a free lanceR to embarrass the Repub-
ucan committee!
Truth About Campaign Speeches.
The simple truth is that over my own
written protest was urged by the Re-
publican national committee in two
kilograms (Which now repose in nv
hles) to make that speech. The week
before it was delivered every word Of 1t
was carefully edited by James Francis
Burke, Catholic, and counsel OF the
Republican national committee. He did
this at committee headquarters.
The Democratic candidates attack on
wisdom politically, but 1t was lust a
part OF political combat and not unfair.
However, the anti-prohibitionists In nv
own party were both unwise and unfair.
For they made common cause with Gov.
smith. when he was attacked shouting
eagerly in effect. Alta boy, Air. When
wet Eastern Republicans started bomb
ing me as a free lance" and an "em-
barrassment' to the party. / had to
choose whether to disclose the tele-
grams and actually embarrass the com.
mittee. or keep still and take punish
ment. 1t seemed to me that good sports
manship dictated the latter course. The
result is general impression about the
Nation that am a person obseSsed with
but single, dominant determination
namely. the complete humiliation Of
Demon Rum" and all of his consortS
and that I am bent on the failing or
executing OF every person who dares
raise voice In opposition to the eight
zenith amendment and the Volstead act
The fact is that before took Office
In 1921 I never had been actively con-
nected with the prohibition movement.
am now, but was not then, a teetotaler
While 1t was legal to do so had LIQUOR
In my own home III California and
used 1t in moderation. of course. Fur.
thermore, have very real aversion to
putting people in Jail and in prison.
know from actual acquaintance with
the conditions inside Of penal institu-
tions that they are much more often
the breeding places of crime than
places for the protection of society and
the reformation and redemption of men
and women who have preyed upon and
been menace to society.
Taught and Studied.
My private law practice in California
before coming to Washington as AS
sistant Attorney General did not In
clude either criminal or divorce cases.
was still professionally" young, but
my practice was dignif1ed and growing,
and it was lucrative enough to make
me pay more personal income tax than
While serving as principal Of graded
school In South Pasadena, Calf, had
completed the law course of the Uni
versity Of Southern California by at
tending classes late in the afternoon
and in the evening. Then for q year
while built up a practice of law in
the day 1 supplemented II might truth.
fully say supported this infant practice)
by teaching Americanization classes in
the Macy street night school in the
foreign quarter Of the city.
AS public defender. appointed with
out salary by the mayor and city council
of Los Angeles, gained valuable court
experience trying hundreds of cases of
every character. So successful proved
the city's experiment of a public de-
fender that the office was permanently
established.
When the war came I was named
chairman of the legal advisory board,
with q large staff Of lawyers, handling
cases under the draft law. Certainly
the whole period Of my legal education
and early practice was OF a nature CAL
culated to lay a foundation of sympathy
for what is termed the under dog
the man. woman or child with little
money, education, property or friends.
While since 1921 have been reSpon-
sible for the direction OF prosecutions
under the Volstead act, have had
many other duties in no way con-
nected with prohibition.
Attorney General Mitchell. In accept
ing my resignation. with both truth
and generosity, said
Il think your prohibition work has
anduly submerged your other accom-
plishments in the public mind"
Sets Supreme Court Record.
He was undoubtedly referring to the
volume Of work before the Supreme
Court Of the United States. where, in
number of cases handled, my record Is
fourth among the members OF the
American bar. These cases have not
been confined to prohibition, but nave
pretty we'll run the gamut OF Federal
law. In point of service I have long
been the oldest" Assistant Attorney
General, and at various times have
long been called upon to administer
every position in the de-
partment, except that OF Solicitor Gen
Pral My division has grown from the
smallest. with but three assistants, to
the largest, with over a hundred in the
immediate staff and several hundred in
the field. We have not only at all
Zines supervised prohibition cases, but
Tor various periods have carried the re-
sponsibility for matters arising under
interstate commerce, all agricultural
laws, Federal insurance, including war
risk insurance, and the Veterans Blu
reau. litigation growing out Of indie
pendent treaties, immigration, admiral
ty and all Federal taxation cases and
prisons.
A single phase of my other work
should furnish ample proof of the fact
that all of my mental processes cannot
have been submerged in the extermni-
nation of the liquor traffic. During Just
the past year my office has handled nine
tax cases before the United States SUI
breme Court, eight of these having been
decided in favor of the Government.
we have also prepared and argued IT'S
rases in the 10 Circuit Courts OF APP
peals throughout. the United States and
Court of Appeals of the District OF Co.
lun1bia and have directed or reviewed
l13 other cases involving tax matters In
which the Government was interested
10 the extent Of hundreds OF millions OF
dollars.
To the charge that I an bigot and
Injected the religious issue in the last
campaign, the unstinted faith and SUD