The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-07-01
RY KILLINGS
OPEN WAY FOR
NEW LAW ERA
.nti- Saloon League Control
Broken by WiIIebrandt,
LoWman Clusters.
BY RAY TUCKER
Times Staff CORES pondent


WASHINGTON, July Henry
Vrkkula of International Falls, ia
cob Hanson of Buffalo and the
French sailor drowned when coast
guard shells drilled the schooner
I'm Alone TO the bottom OF the
Mexican gulf may not have died IN
vain.
Their deaths may lead to new
era OF laW-and-Order in which hu-
man life will be reckoned Of higher
value than the escape Of a rum run
ner and his alcoholic cargo.
The days Of Seymour Lowman, as
sistant secretary of the treasury and
dry car, are said 10 be numbered,
despite White House and treasury
denials. and he probably will be
succeeded by an official who will in
sist upon the noiseless and bloodless
kind Of enforcement required by
President Herbert Hoover.
Lowman's passing, following so
soon the quitting of Mrs. Mabel
Walker Willebrandt as assistant at
torney-generaI in charge Of liquor
matters, will mark the end OF the
Saloon Leagues control of this
important arm of the government.
Lowman was appointed when drys
and vets we're quarreling over the
conflict then raging between PROM
bition Commissioner Roy A. Haynes
and Lincoln G. Andrews.
Resembles Andrews Case
Circumstances surrounding Low
mans reported discharge by the
President strangely resemble those
which marked Andrews downfall.
Though Andrews resigned by letter
at 10 one morning, denialS poured
forth from the White House and
treasury. Though Andrew j. Mel
lon, secretary of treasury, accepted
the resignation and Andrews closed
his desk, the populations OF news
paper stories continued.
Eventually, when the adminlStra-
ton sensed it was an inopportune
time for Andrews to be permitted
to resign, he was persuaded to with
draw his resignation. Even though
I,owman was summary fired, as
reliably reported. it is probable he
will be permitted to stay on until
the storm blows over.
Lowman's handling of recent kill
ings, as well as his failure to check
plans for the Schoolroom crusade,
have caused chagrin at the White
House. Hoover's known desire to
relegate the wet and dry question to
the background pending the report
of his law enforcement commission
has been thwarted almost daily by
Lowmar and the trigger pulling
field force.
Embarrasses Hoover
Lowman's Characterization OF the
present offensive at Detroit also ere
ated embarrassment for the admin
istration.
Most embarrassing Of all to the
President, perhaps, was publication
of the fact that he personally had
interviewed to stop the teaching of
prohibition propaganda in the
schools.
1t is also known that prominent
New York drys have laid complaints
before officials regarding prohibition
conditions in LoWman's own state.
Their summaries state that prohibit
ton is almost unknown in New
York City, that liquor is crossing
the border at all points from
Rouse's point to Buffalo and brew
cries in the Albany district have re-
Gently been running wide open.
The admission that politicians
we're involved in the beer scandals
that LED to the demotion Of Palmer
Garfield as Albany administrator
has resulted in a disconcerting flare
back. Retention of Garfield in any
office. in view of his admitted fail
ure to close down the breweries, has
puzzled the prohibitionists.