Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-18
DRY ACT WILL STAY
UNTIL BETTER WAY
FOUND, SAYS BORAH
ldahoan, Replying to Reed,
Thinks Present Method
Best System So Far.
FIERY MISS0URIAN
CONTINUES ATTACK
Prohibition Cruel and Unjust, He
Declares, Assailing Wheeler
in Closing Address.

The eighteenth amendment will
stand in the Constitution until the
moral forces of the United States be-
lieve that something better has been
presented" Senator Borah of Idaho
predicted in the Senate this afternoon.
There will be no going back In the
effort to control the liquor traffic. which
mas Deen torturing the human race
| Borah. "'Oi
The Idaho Senator, who was speak,
ing IN reply to Senator Reed of Mis-
souri, who today resumed the attack
ne started Saturday on prohibition and
lIS enforcement during the consideration
OF Dill TO increase penalties for drv law
Molatlons, declared that IN his opinion
the prohlbitory laws were the best sys-
tenn OF dealing with the liquor trsffic
tnat nave so far been presented ne
insisted. however. that:
am not committed against tha
moolncation or repeal of the eighteenth
amendment or OF the Volstead act"
senator Borah said that he would
s.anu ior these measures only so long
DIS notnng better has been presented.
Invites Better Scheme.
II there be better way to control
drinking" said Senator Borah. "let's
nave 1t. I do not find fault with those
VINO urge repeal of the eighteenth
amendment: 1t is right just as sacred
as the right to put the EIGHTEENTH
amendment in the Constitution. we
invite them to present better scheme
and let the American people pass on It."
The Idaho Senator insisted that the
question OF enforcing the prohibition
laws. while they stand, is vital to the
country.
At the outset of his address. Senator
Borah paid high tribute to Senator
Reed. who Is to leave the Senate at the
conclusion of the present session. He
said that he was in accord with many
OF the things said during the debate
by Senator Reed.
Men who insist on enacting the pro-
hibltion laws. but live in violation of
them merit condemnation, said Sem
ator Borah. ITO that, all good citizens
must agree. If those who make the law
violate 1t, the AK Is laid at the root of
the tree OF representative government"
Senator Borah added that If those who
are intrusted with the enforcement Of
the law also violate 1t. the situation be-
comes even more deplorable. He said
that he believed it was more Important
for men in public Office to set q good
example than it was for them to enact
laws.
Denies Dry Law Is Crime.
Senator Borah denied that the dry
laws were, as Senator Reed had said,
the crime of all crimes in the matter
OF legislation enacted by Congress"
Ine people OF the United States may
nave erred in judgment" said Senator
Borah. Time viii show. But the
enactment OF the prohibition laws was
not crime. The people had been
struggling with this great LIQUOR prob
lem Tor years. The prohibition amend
ment had an exalted object and a pur-
pose tnat was ideal. 1t may be imprac-
Ccaoie. But 1t was not a crime to un-
oertake 10 control and bring under the
law tnat which would have undermined
ana destroyed civilization. The fight
against the traffic in liquor is not a
matter OF a decade. Only step by step
can the advance be made. The oues-
ton Is whether the adoption of prohi-
| Dltlon was an error"
The prohibition law was denounced
as cruel and unjust and the late WAYNE
.. Wheeler. general counsel for the
Anu-Saloon League. was pictured as a
proponent OF force by Senator Reed
This law" said Senator Reed. "was
enacted at the demand of an organiza-
tion, and the man who was at the
mead OF that organization was Wavne
- wheeler" He read excerpts from a
biography of Mr.. Wheeler written by
ms former secretary, Justin Stewart.
| Cites Wheeler Biography.
Senator Reed said it was to be ex-
pected that such biography would be
written with touch of charity" Yet
THIS biography began, he said. with a
statement that Wheeler controlled six
| Congresses, dictated to two Presidents
and held the balance of power in both
the Democratic and Republican parties.
Tne biography further declared that
Mr. wheeler had distributed more
patronage than any other man and con-
trolled a bureau of the Government
from the outside.
We all know what that bureau was"
said Senator Reed. He quoted further
from the biography to show that Mr..
wheeler loved the limelight and had
an instinct for pre-eminence.
he was the exponent of force" Sem
ator Reed read from the biography. "He
preferred threats to persuasion. He de-
sired the most severe penalties. He
would have gone to the extent of call
ing out the Army and Navy to enforce
viz pAOALOAbOAy law.
That" continued Senator Reed. "is
the picture presented by the eulogist OF
Wayne b. Wheeler. That Is the spirit
that has permeated this country to
an extent which is sad beyond words.
The Missouri Senator spoke In the
presence of well filed Senate Chamber
and crowded galleries. Hundreds of
visitors had come to the Capitol in
the understanding that Senator Reed
would proceed with his discussion of
the prohibition question, which Is be-
fore the Senate in the shape of a bill
to increase penalties for violation of
the VolStead act. They were further
drawn to the Capitol by the report that
Senator Borah of Idaho. a champion
OF the enforcement of the dry laws
would reply to Senator Reed
Says Friends Needn't Worry.
At the outset of his address TODAY.
Senator Reed, with a twinkle in his
eye. announced that the drinking
drys" in Congress might have no fear
that he would make public their names.
Il would not violate the confidence
Of my friends and neighbors who were
merely seeking a bit Of sunshine out
OF hfe," said Senator Reed. $50 all
these people may compose themselves.
l have never sunk to the level OF q
prohibition informant"
Senator Reed said that the dry law
has transformed the old time prohibi-
ZIONIST who sought with kindness to
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