Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-31
NEW YEAR BRINGS
AMERICA PARADOX
U. S., Moving Toward World
Peace, Torn Within
by Prohibition.
BY the Associated Press.

| BY the Associated Press.
| America enters a new decade at mid
night tonight intent upon perpetuating
the international peace that the last
decade has brought, but torn from
within by bitter diSsension ON the
ever-controversial subject of enforce
| ment of the prohibition laws.
Before the first month of the new
year has passed into history represent
atives of the United States will gather
with spokesman of other great powers
to consider the problem of competitive
naval building land endeavor to abolish
that menace to the friendship of the
nations.
And within that time important de-
| VelopmentS are expected in the prohibi-
! ton strife, including the first product
OF President Hoovers Law Enforcement
Commission report recommending
legislative cures for the ills of enforce
ment as the commission has diagnosed
| them.
1929 Experimental"
There is disposition among political
observers to regard the year just closing
as the experimental stage of the Hoover
administration and the year that is
daWning as a period holding forth the
promise of putting to the test several
major projects initiated by the Chief
Executive, important among these his
programs for farm relief and the limi-
tatlon of naval ornaments.
The issue of the agricultural depres-
sion was fought out in the presidential
campaign of 1928, and early in his adj
ministration Mr.. Hoover called Congress
into extraordinary session to set up Fed
eral machinery for solving the problem
Congress gave him what he asked, and
the question is now in the hands of a
Federal farm board of IL members
whom he selected.
Harvest to Bring Test.
This agency has been getting itself
established, creating gigantic farmer
controlled corporations to deal with the
problems of surplus crops and making
loans to cooperative organizations from
the huge revolving fund with which
Congress equipped it. When the crops
of 1880 are harvested, then, it is pre-
dicted, will come the first real test of
its power and usefulness.
For many months Mr.. Hoover has
been paving the way for the naval con-
ference, with the PRONUNCIATION of the
Kellogg BRAND treaty for the renunci-
alton of war and extensive CONVERSE
tons with Great Britain. The latter
have made the conference possible,
brought these two great naval powers
into agreement with respect to the OBJ
jects to be sought and have evoked
mutual declaration that the anti-war
treaty is to provide a fundamental fac
tor in the formulation of their foreign
policies.
The primary object of the coming
confe: ence, which is to be held at Lon
don. is the negotiation of an agreement
whereby ironbound limits will be set
upon the size of the navies of five great
poWers-The United States, Great Bri-
tain, France, Italy and Japan. In ad-
dition, a movement will be launched to
extend for five years the holiday in con-
struction of capital ships agreed upon
at the Washington conference.
Offlcials here see no particular OBJ
stacle in the French attitude, recently
expressed. that the Kellogg BRAND
treaty cannot be taken as basis for
naval arms limitation and that the
London parley should reach an agree
ment primarily on principles and
methods
"Drys' Open Fire.
Unlike the naval situation, the newest
phase of the prohibition controversy
has developed within fortnight. Just
DeIOIG SOIBTeSS dQJOuTIleu LOT the IOu-
days Senator Harris of Georgia,
Democrat and a veteran dry" de-
manded a report from the Law En-
forcement Commission before that
agency is given any more funds for its
upkeep.
This precipitated what has come to
be regarded as the most heated series
Of exchanges on prohibition since the
eighteenth amendment went into force.
The personnel of all Government en-
forcement agencies, from top to bot
TOM" was attacked by Senator Borah
of Idaho, another veteran dry. Spokes-
men for the agencies criticized, includ-
ing member Of the cabinet, Attorney
General Mitchell, replied. Numerous
other Senators entered the verbal fray,
mostly legislators long identified with
the dry" contingent.
1t developed that the commission had
prepared a report-recommend the
transfer to the Justice Department of
enforcement agencies now in the Treas
ury, the consolidation of all border
patrols, codiflcation of the prohibition
laws and the relief of congestion in the
Federal courts-which Is to be submit
ted to Congress as soon as joint con-
gressional committee on prohibition is
established
The Senate has already approved this
project and the formation Of the COM
mittee awaits only action by the House,
which is expected to come shortly after
Congress reconvenes.