Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-23
Common knowledge" Charges.

In the course of speech on the tariff
bill in the Senate Saturday Senator
Howell of Nebraska took occasion to
point to a situation in the District Of
Columbia in respect to the enforcement
of the prohibition law, which he charged
showed laxity on the part Of officials.
He said:
Enforcement can be accomplished.
Enforcement in the city of Washington
can be effective. The President can
dismiss any official of the city of Wash
ington, because such officials are his
appointees or the appointeeS of ap-
pointees of the President. In my opin-
ion, If the President called the Com
miSsioners of the District Of Columbia
before him and said, Gentlemen,
have secret service officials at my COM
Washington in connection with the vio-
lation of the prohibition law before you
discover it. you are out" there is no
question as to what the result would
be. There would be one city in the
country that would be cleaned up.
There was more along the same line,
the Senator pointing out specifically the
importation Of liquor for the diplomatic
service-which is permitted under the
law-and finally saying: THE reason
why this sort of thing is not stopped is
because there is not the will to stop it."
This was a virtual citation Of Presi-
dent Hoover to meet a charge of laxity
of law enforcement. The President
promptly rejoins in the following ON
cial statement:
Senator Howells statement that the
prohibition law is not being enforced
in the District of Columbia seriously
impugns the good faith and capacity Of
Commissioner Dougherty, in charge Of
police; Supt. of Police Pratt, District
Attorney Rover and Prohibition Agent
William Blandford. The President is
ton. He is confident that the Senator
would not make these charges unless
they were based upon definite facts.
with time and place, and II he will lay
any such information before the De-
partment of Justice the President will
have the matters vigorously investigated,
for 1t is the intention not only to secure
the fullest enforcement in the District
possible under the organization Of en-
forcement agencies as provided by law,
but to make 1t a model in this country.
Moreover, 1t Is only fair to give to the
District officials an opportunity to meet
such charges.
Next comes Senator Howell with a
statement to the effect that he has no
first-hand information concerning boot
Logging in Washington, but that he
believes it is common knowledge that
liquor is being bought and sold in the
city, and reiterating the statement that
the prohibition law could be enforced
here If there was will to do so.
Thus the matter resolves itself to the
basis of the common knowledge"
accusation. 1t may be common
knowledge that the prohibition law is |
being violated here. It is common. |
knowledge that 1t is being violated in !
probably every city in the United |
States. That is not the point, however, |
of fair criticism of the administrative |
authorities. Is there proof that the |
law is being violated with the knowledge |
of officials, and that If they were so |
disposed the officials charged with en-
forcement could punish the violators
and stop the practice?
The President has met this challenge |
fairly and squarely. It would be i'm
proper for him to. adopt the method
suggested by the Senator from !
Nebraska, that of setting up a CONF
petitive enforcement agency in the |
personnel of the secret service force,
to stimulate the regularly appointed
officials of enforcement toeaction under |
threat of loss of position. The proposal |
Of such a method by the Senator from |
Nebraska Is so extraordinary that it |
must be regarded as figure Of speech |
rather than a serious suggestion.
Now it would appear that nothing !
is to come Of the exchange Of state |
ments, for the senatorial critic has no |
definite charges or facts to present, and |
it is quite impossible to conduct an |
investigation on the basis of common |
knowledge"