Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-20
STIMSON REQUESTS
REPORT OF ATTACK
ON CUSTOMS MEN
Asks Treasury for Particu-
lars Of Firing on Boat
by Rum Smugglers.
LIQUOR RUNNERS FLEE
INTO CANADIAN WATERS
Arguments on Dry Killings Renew
ed in Congress-Glass Accuses
Administrator
Hv the Associated Press.

Bv the Associated Press.
Secretary Stimson has asked the
Treasury Department to give him full
report on the firing on customs patrol
boat on the Detroit River by rum
smugglers.
Reports reaching Washington have
been that rum runners fred on the
customs patrol boat near the American
shore and then fed into Canadian
waters. Assistant Secretary Lowman
has pointed to the incident as bearing
out the necessity for having customs
agents carry arms.
Assistant Secretary Lowman of the
Treasury had not received report to-
DAY on the incident yesterday. He said
he had wired officers in charge of the
Detroit Office of the Customs Bureau to
telegraph him the complete report. and
he expected it to be received during
the day.
No Indication of Procedure.
Secretary Stimson did not indicate
what disposition would be made by the
State Department of the report on the
shooting, nor did he disclose whether
the American Government would make
any inquiry of Canada concerning the
incident.
Lowman later telephoned the Detroit
ONCE and asked for All immediate re-
port. He said that as soon as the re-
port had been received and studied IT
would be transmitted to the State De-
partment.
The Assistant Secretary said that
this was not the first time that rum
runners had opened fire on customs
boats and that it had happened fire.
uuently in the past, with the agsTessor
escaping into Canadian waters.
1t was pointed out at the State De-
partnent that Canada, at the Ottawa
conference. indicated a Willingness to
prevent the smuggling of liquor into
the United States, but refused to make
the export of liquor from the Dominion
into this country illegal.
Meanwhile, State Department officials
declared no definite decision had been
reached in connection With the sclec-
tion of an arbitrator for this country
in the case of the Canadian craft I'm
Alone, run-runner sunk by an Ameri-
can Coast Guard cutter in the Gulf OF
Mexico.
It was. indicated that negotiations
between the two governments in regard
to the I'm Alone we're progressing sat-
would be selected probably in the near
future.
Glass Accuses Administration.
The Senate went its temporary way
from Washington yesterday leaving be-
hind a sizeable closing day bulk OF de-
bate on prohibition. during which
Senator Glass. Democrat, Virginia.
charged that the administration was
'submerging prohibition in the law
enforcement inquiry.
Such other stalwart drys as Senator
Jones of Washington rushed to the de-
fense of the President, and before the
days discussion had ended there were
charges from drys Of both parties that
shootings by enforcement officers we're
being exaggerated as part of wet
propaganda drive.
Senator Glass quoted from President
Hoover's New York speech declaring
prohibition was segment" OF the
task. He then told the SenaH that in
the campaign no mention was made
about general law enforcement and the
issue was always the eighteenth amend
ment and the Volstead act.
And I challenge any man to point
to q syllable uttered or a sentence writ
ten BY the President in the last cam
paign" he continued, which COM
nnitted him specifically to advocacy of
the eighteenth amendment or in any
wise to advocacy of the eighteenth
amendment. Nowhere explicitly or i'm
plicitly has he said that he is an advo-
cate of the Volstesd act
Jones Defends President.
Senator Jones. going to the Presi-
dents defense. asserted that while he
may not have said to his law enforce
nnent commission what / would have
said, nevertheless he has twice before
given his prohibition views and We must
give him more time and opportunities
before We can believe he has forsaken
the principles he announced"
Senator Copeland. Democrat, of New
York. vet. denounced shootings by
prohibition agents and deplored the
"fanatical attitude toward dry en-
forcement which he contended was un
doing the law.
Senator Brookhart. Republican, of
Iowa. an ardent dry. replied 1t was
time to stop all this gush about mur-
ders and force Senators to help enforce
the law"
He declared the Senator from New
York could make louder speech about
the 55 dry agents who have been mur-
dered," saying most the killings by dry
agents were accidents and some oi
those who we're killed ought TO have
been killed"
The prohibition furore in the Senate
was stirred up by consideration of the
Jones resolution TO carry out Presi-
dent Hoover's recommendation for 2
congressional study of recognizing tht
prohibition agencies under the Depart
rnent Of Justice. Senator Gless anc
Robinson of Arkansas. the Democratic
leader. said such a re-olution was un'
necessary and amounted TO an attempt
to shift responsibility for such step
An amendment to the presidential
request for the joint commission pre-
sented by Senator Haves. Democrat
Continued on Page 4. Column H.