Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-25
Writer Says Letter to Roose-
Welt Made Public by
misunderstanding.
LAW COMMISSION HEAD
WROTE 1T AS PERSONAL
Explanation Of Circumstances Of
Writing Is Given to Board
Members.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

George W. Wickersham, chairman Of
President Hoover's commission on law
enforcement, wrote what he felt was Q
personal letter to Gov Roosevelt. but
the New York Governor regarded it as
ofTicisl and formal.
This in a nutshell is the true story
of the famous Wickersham letter read
at the governors conference last week.
Mr.. Wickersham wrote the letter In
long hand Not ell Of it was made
public. The first few sentences were
personal. And the last part Of it stated
that the suggestions were for the gov
ernor's use. II is not contended here
that the New York Governor broke
faith. IT, is asserted. however. that he
misunderstood the purpose Of Mr.. Wick
crsham which was to give him sue-
gestions which he could embody In his
own speech or furnish on his (Mr.
Roosevelts) account as topic for dis
cussion by the governors.
Mr.. Wickersham had no idea Of fore
shadowing any communications or
findings of the commission or of start.
ing debate on modification OF existing
machinery of law enforcement, though
it is contended that if the Government
is to make the law more effective some
amendments and changes will be nec-
esSary.
Expla ma tion Is Made.
full explanation of the letter and
what its purpose was has been COM
municated to President Hoover and
to members of the Law Enforcement
Commission. and they thoroughly ur-
derstand how it happened. Now that
the suggestion of State cooperation
has been made, there Is no dlsposition
on the part of Mr.. Wickersham or the
members of the commission to give 1t
any formal weight. but they thing it is
Just as we'll perhaps that the public get
accustomed to receiving suggestions
and ideas. in order that the commission
may have the benefit of crystallized
public opinion.
At first both the vets and drys picked
the letter to pieces to determine
other. Now. however, the subject has
stirred up discussion in the States. and
the ultimate responsibility for enforce
ment has become in many parts Of the
country live issue. What the Wicker
sham letter did not say but what it
implied was that there are 26 States
which have passed rigid enforcement
Federal Government, but they have not
bestirred themselves to secure enforce
ment. If anything, the Wickersham
epiStle was intended to direct attention
to the need for enforcement and as
such could hardly be construed as an
argument for or against modification
Of the eighteenth amendment itself.
This view has been informally COM
municated hereabouts as a comment OF
v~~seA ASk - - ~kk IL Al,
by some dry leaders toward the Wicker
sham letter.
ScrawIed in Long Hand.
II Mr.. Wickersham, who was an At
torney General under the Taft admin
istration, had desired TO send a formal
message to be read at the governors
conference: long experience in such
matters would have prompted him to
submit it to his colleagues on the COM
mission or at least to write it on sta
tionery of the commission. Instead it
was scrawled in long hand on some
hotel stationery at Bar Harbor. The
New York governor had asked for Mr..
Wickersham's ideas in advance and
naturally assumed that the letter he
received was in response to that request
Mr.. Wickersham did not intend it that
way.
Now that the letter has been made
public. the disposition here Is to regard
it as an unfortunate misunderstanding
between two men in public life who
have known each other fer many years.
No reply, it is said. has ever been re-
ceived by Mr.. Wickersham from Gov.
Roosevelt nor has there been any public
expression on the subject by the head
OF the Presidents Enforcement COM
missicn.
1t is not deemed desirable to have
any further comment on it at this time
though 1t may prove the forerunner of
many suggestions from Mr.. Wickersham
and the commission in order to obtain
information for the final report and
recommendations.
(ConyrtRht Io2oN