Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-25
ROVER SEEKS DATA
ON LIQUOR PARTY
CITED BY SENATOR
District Attorney Requests
Doran to Submit Reports
on Hotel Affair.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
MAY BE INSTIGATED
Howell Wants Gen. Butler Brought
Here to Clamp on Lid-Brook-
hart Tells of Rum Flasks.

Charges that in 1927 Federal prohibi-
ton agents saw TASKS being emptied
into glasses at the Carlton Club in the
Carlton Hotel, Sixteenth and K streets,
made by Senator Howell of Nebraska in
the Senate yesterday, today brought a
request from United States District At
torney Leo A. Rover to DR.. James M.
Doran, chief of prohibition forces. for
the agents report so that his office can
determine whether it contains sufficient
justification for legal proceedings.
Senator Howell made the charges in
speech before the Senate late yester-
day afternoon, when he also asked for
enactment of local prohibition en-
forcement law and the placing Of Mai.
Gen. Smedley D. Butler of the Marine
Corps in charge of the enforcement 10
dry up the Capital.
Plans New Bill.
Following up a suggestion he made
in his speech. Senator Howell an
nounced today that he will introduce q
local prohibition enforcement bill to
supplement the national prohibition
law in Washington.
The Senator said it would take some
little time to draft the measure but
indicated he favored the re-enactment
of portions Of the Shepherd law which
was in force in Washington prior to the
beginning OF national prohibition. He
said this would make the entire police
force responsible for dry law enforce
ment, whereas at present only SO
members of the local department spe-
cialize in prohibition work.
Senator Howell also said today he is
not planning to take any further steps
himself to have Gen. Butler assigned
here. He expressed the opinion that
the President could assign Gen. Butler
here If deemed advisable,
Asked if he was making any further
investigations into local law enforce
ment, the Senator replied, Il shall be
on the alert"
Senator Howell also advocated today
rule in the Police Department under
which any member of the iorce found
drinking would be dropped for the first
offense of that kind.
Brookhart Joins in.
Senator Brookhart of Iowa embellish-
ed Senator Howells stories of drinking
in local hotels when he told of TASKS
under tf1e table behind curtain" at
a dinner at the Willard Hotel at which
a New York man was host to a number
of newly elected and reelected Senators.
Senator Brookhart named Senator
Smoot of Utah AS one of the Senator's
at this party.
This brought a disclaimer from the
Utah Senator, VINO said he did not recall
the party. and that If he was there. he
did not see any liquor.
Mr.. Rover today admitted that twice
in the past two years have rumors OF
drinking at the Carlton Hotel and at
the Carlton Club a night club in the
hotel, but operated independently of The
management of the hotel. been 1nvest-
gated by members of his staff. He
L.
groundless the rumors that liquor was
being consumed by patrons of the din
ing room of the hotel About two years
ago. he said, his Office inquired into ru-
mors that liquor was being consumed
at the Carlton Club, and that as the
result of that inquiry. operators of the
club were notified that the alleged vio-
lations of the liquor law should be dis
continued. They were he said.
Senator Howells disclosures were
made in the reading of reports of pro-
hibition agents.
One of the reports read by him told
of visits by prohibition agents to the
Carlton Club, Sixteenth and K streets,
in January, 1927. in which it was al
legged they saw people emptying TASKS
into glasses. The Senator said he was
reading these reports to show that the
Government bureaus have information
AL lIlCll 1ICS, dIlu W Out AAASo
previous statement that there is not the
will to bring about enforcement.
Senator Howell began by declaring
that when he made his first reference
to prohibition enforcement here Satur-
day, in which he said the President
could bring about enforcement because
of the power he has over local officials
in the National Capital. he had no
intention of making personal attacks.
Hoover UNFAIR"
"I was discussing conditions as they
have prevailed here in the District Of
Columbia" said Senator Howell, "and
it seems to me that the President was
little unfair, under the circumstances.
to call upon me to state definite facts,
with time and place ! spoke from
what is common knowledge in this city
and from what is the belief outside of
Washington with respect to Washington,
the repository of our Constitution and
the seat of our Government"
One of the documents placed in the
record by Senator Howell was report
written in 1927 containing an account
of a visit by four prohibition investi-
gators to the Carlton. The investiga-
tors were w. P. Mulhall. H. w. Douthitt.
Mrs. H. K. Mansfield and Mrs. j. Whit
ney. The report was addressed to Maj.
H. H. White, prohibition administrator
here at that time. Senator Howell
CONTINUED on Page S, Column So