Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-02-15
Friday Morning ....-Psbruary Is. 1929
Not willing To Face The Issue.

Regardless Of the merits Of prohibition
and aside from the question how they may
stand individually on the wet and dry
issue. the Republican majority in Congress
and Secretary Mellon have made it clear
by their recent attitude toward the pro-
posal to appropriate additional funds for
Law enforcement that they are not willing
10 squarely face the issue and make an
honest effort to enforce the law" said Rep
resentative Joseph W. Byrns. of Tennessee.
Chairman Of the Democratic National Con-
eressionsl Committee, in a statement made
public
Furthermore. continued Mr.. Byrns.
Republicans in the House. many Of them
regarded as prohibition leaders. If not act
ually posing as such. have evaded in every
possible way going on record by voting for
or against appropriations which all admit
are necessary for serious effort to enforce
the prohibition Law.
In their National Conventions last year,
both parties made solemn promise to
enforce the prohibition law. Both Presi-
Dental candidates took their stand on that
pledge.
Secretary Mellon has said that funds
heretofore provided have not been sufi-
Gent to enforce the law. The Director OF
the Prohib ton Unit. under Mr.. Mellon, said
90. and so have all the prohibition leaders.
Senator Harris. Of Georgia. succeeded in
inserting in the pending deficiency appro-
priation bill an appropriation for $24. 0O0.-
900 with which to begin serious effort to
enforce the prohibition law. so the people
may know whether 1t can be enforced and
thus give prohibition fair test. When
the Harris amendment reached the House.
the Republican majority refused to face
the issue. and by parliamentary device
sent the bin to conference without even
permitting an opportunity for the House
TO express itself on the issue. 1t now ap-
pears that they are even willing to have
the deficiency bill-contsinine many other
appropriations. some of them OF great i'm
portance to different agences Of the gov
ernment-to die rather than permit vote
in the House on the prohibition appropria =
ton. Some Of the Members who have
heretofore posed as most ardent and de-
voted drys have had a leading part 10
killing the appropriation.
THE first objections which Secretary
Mellon and Republican House leaders set
up against the appropriation were met
with proposed amendment under which
the money would have been expended at
the direction OF the President He would
have been able TO allocate il to the various
government agencies charged with law
enforcement. the Coast Guard, ETC.. and
even including the narcotics bureau. He
could have expended just as much or just
as little as he deemed necessary. But Mr.
Mellon and the Republican leaders 10 the
House would not permit even this to be
done. Of course. il can't be that they are
not willing to trust Mr.. Hoover. who viii
soon become President and would have the
direction Of the expenditure Of the money
We must therefore believe either that the,
do not wish TO enforce the law or are fearful
that 1t cannot be enforced. and do not wisl
20 accept the responsibility for failure
They prefer to run along on the old excuse
that they didn't have the money witt
which to do the job.
President elect Hoover has declared fol-
law enforcement and has said he would
appoint commission 10 study the prohi
bition situation. Il makes no differenc,
what Mr.. Hoovers commission finds out
or what il may recommend to amelioratt
the now generally admitted deplorable stu
alton with reference to the enforcement o
this law, its recommendations cannot b.
carried out without funds. II the S24.
100000 proposed had been available fol
lowing the investigation Mr. Hoover pro
poses. which shouldn't take long. an homes
effort at law enforcement could be mad
with at least reasonable sum OF none
available to meet the cost. Now. the prob
abilities are there will not be another ap
preparation bill considered until Decemhe
next. 90 we are to run along another yea
with the law being violated in every corne
Of the country and no real effort made a
enforcement.
Last fall. Republican campaign speaker
were going up and down the country de
claring that only their party and thei
candidates could be trusted to enforce tn
Law. The very first time an opportunit
comes to make a genuine effort at enforce
ment. they dodge, and even refuse to fac
vote on the question. Their recent atti
tude toward the question shows either tina
they are insincere or they haven't tn
courage to squarely face the issue when
10 raised. II the Republican party leader
who have been posing as such ardent pro
hibltionists were sincere in their expresse
wish to see the law enforced. they woul
Grasp every opportunity to make enforce
ment conditions better. and not run ava
when offered the tools with which to d
the job"
MaryIanders Live Long.