Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-04
DRY ACT NOW CLASS
LAW, BUTLER AYERS
Enforcement Policy Raped
by Marine Leader Before
Crime Prohers.

Maj. Gen. Smedley D. Butler of the
United States Marine Corps yesterday
afternoon told President Hoover's Ma
tional Commission on Law Observance
and Enforcement what he thinks about
prohibition.
Appearing as an authority before two
members of the commissions prohibition
subcommittee, Gen. Butler is believed
to have franbly told Chairman George
w. Wickersham and Judge William S.
Kenyon it is his studied opinion that
the prohibition law has been trans
formed by the method of its enforce
ment into 1.-The grossest piece of class
legislation in the country's history"
Attired in civilian clothes and at.
tracing no attention, Gen. --utler, now
commandment Of the Marine base al
Quantico, Va, presented himself to the
commissions headquarters promptly at
2:30 o'clock. He appeared in response
to an invitation extended by Judge
Kenyon. He was closeted with the wy
oming jurist Chairman Wickershanl
and other members of the commission
ava AAoAS tAAoA1 WV 4lOu1os
Many of Phases Studied.
Awaiting themselves of an opportunity
to hear from the famous Marine officer
who for three years served as director
OF public safety in Philadelphia, the
members of Mr.. Hoover's fact-finding
commission heard Gen. Buffers views
on prohibition enforcement and recon-
mendations, based on his experience at
Philadelphia and elsewhere. Several
members of the commission met Gen.
Butler for the first time. The occasion
was taken advantage of as an opportu-
nifty to discuss, informally and at length.
many of the phases of law enforcement
in general and prohibition enforcement
in particular.
Gen. Butler holds the view that the
enforcement method is using 16-inch
guns to kill sparrows" That conclu-
sion, he said. is based on three years as
civilian officer trying to stamp out
saloons and speakeasies in Philadel-
pnla, an experience as commandant at
the San Diego, Calf, Marine base.
where at one time prohibition violations
were fragrant among officers and en-
listed men, and more frequently at
Quantico, where he ruled the town of
Quantico "out of bounds to Marines
until civilian officers cleaned out boot
leggerS and Speakeasies.
Prohibition enforcement will be in
effective to the point of failure, Gen.
Butler believes as long as the enforce
ment officers 'snoop around after half
pints on the hip and let the racketeers
and king bootleggers do business I'M
In illustration, he described his cam
pa1gn against brewerieS in Philadel-
phia. Talking informally, but candidly,
Gen. Butler asserted that he succeeded
time and again in closing up speak
eaSles In the city only to learn others
had opened within a few hours. He
couldn't close the breweries, despite that
he had indictments with 400 counts re-
turned against them. Not one indict-
ment was brought to trial during his
three years service, he said.
Breeds Disrespect."
Citing that fact as evidence of the
real source of Illicit liquor, source, he
said. that flows freely while the little
fellows" are being stopped. only to start
again, Gen. Butler went further to de-
clare that the system of enforcement is
breeding disrespect for law among citi-
Gems. One incident of his Philadelphia
command he recalled as case in point.
A policeman forced his way into a
private residence, arrested eight men
and women for possessing alcoholic
beverage and took them to a station
house. Next day he suggested that it
required bravery to face eight persons
Singlehanded. Gen. Butler called him
(ContinIIed IN Pace ColI,Yoo 81