Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-25
Elimination of Politics in
Appointments Cited
as Great Need.
WANTS UNIFICATION
End of 'Selective Enforce.
ment' Also Called Impera.
tive Prosecution Demand

I'm this. her concluding article.
Mabel Walker Wiilebrdndt, former
Assistant Attorney General in
Charge OF Prohibition, enumerates
the changes she belieUes necessary
to make prohibition successful. She
states sir points upon Which she
believes the situation rests as she
leaves it to take up her private ldr
practice once more.J
BY MABEL WALKER WILLEBRANDT.
You admit that liquor is being
sold in large quantities through
out the country" Western law
yer said to me recently, land you
do not claim that it is much
harder for a man who wants a
drink to get it now than it was
eight years ago. though millions
and millions of dollars have been
spent for enforcement. And if
you still contend that the law can
be enforced, how in hell do you
propose to enforce it?"
think that is a perfectly fair ques-
ton, and think the profanity is justi-
fed in view OF the apparent incou-
sistency between the facts that have
related and my belief as to the poSSibil-
tiles of enforcement.
Prohibition is not being effectively
enforced. I have stated some of the
reasons. Because the prohibition law is
being violated often with and by the
connivance and collusion of public Of
ficials. we are told by anti-prohibition
organizations and by many newspapers
thof a1a fA
whole system Of Government has been
created by the eighteenth amendment.
will not argue this other than 10
simply call attention to the undisputcd
fact that in the days of the open saloons
and local or State option. there were
countless violations of the laws regulat-
ing the liquor trafic.
The difference is that regulation was
attempted with utter failure over a
period Of more than q century. while
enforcement of the national prohibition
act has had less than 10 years trial.
Another anti-prohibitionis said to me
recently. You are retiring from office
after eight years futil attempt to en-
force an unenforcible Law. Why not be
honest and admit enforcement Is i'm
possible?"
Law Is EnforcibIe.
all my experience tends to strengthen
the belief that the prohibition law is
enforcible. It is as enforcible as any
other law was in its early stages-the
law against burglary, against murder,
against embezzlement. I know of no
law that is not violated. and frequently
violated. A law is failure not when
there are frequent violations. but when
1t fails to protect society as whole
against destructive forces.
The mere fact that prohibition closed
$4,000 saloons, where liquor might be
obtained night or day in almost un-
proof of prohibition worth. Even II
proof could be adduced that for these
saloons were substituted $4,000 boot
leggers, or even 278000, there would
in my estimation still be Justification
for prohibition. No one will seriously
contend that the bootleggers, however
numerous they may be, are selling as
much liquor as the saloons. No one will
seriously contend that the majority of
people approve or fail to condemn the
business of bootlegging. How many Of
my readers. or their friends. will
knowingly entertain a bootlegger in
their family circle?
The sale Of intoxicating liquor has
not only been outlawed by law. but in
the hearts and minds of the majority
Of the people of America. That one fact
makes it possible to say with assurance
that prohibition can be enforced.
But how?
How to Make the Law Work.
shall now stste as definitely and as
concisely as possible some of the meas
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