Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-28

Attorney General Mitchell has adj
| vised Congress that habitual drinkers
and those definitely opposed to prohi-
bition on principle are considered un-
suitable by the Hoover administration
for Federal Offices directly connected
with the prosecution of violators of the
dry statutes.
Furthermore, the personal views and
practices of applicants for appointment
or reappointment as United States
marshalS and attorneys are being thor
oughly investigated before appointments
are recommended to the President by
the Justice Department.
This procedure was revealed by Mr.
Mitchell in a letter submitted to the
House expenditures committee, which
yesterday concluded open hearings on
the Williamson bill to consolidate the
Governments enforcement and prose-
cutting agencies in the Department of
Justice.
The letter had been written to a
friend of the Attorney General, whose
name was withheld, and dealt only with
attorneys and marshals. It was as
sumed, however, that Mitchell would
follow the same policy in selecting men
for the enforcement unit in the event
that agency is transferred to his juris-
diction from its present place in the
Treasury.
Attorney Generals Letter.
The Attorney Generals letter follows
in full text:
81 have your letter of January IS
calling attention to the fact that a
special agent of this department has
been making inquiries from you about
candidates for the post Of United States
marshal in -, and that in so doing
he made inquiries as to whether q cam
didate was in the habit of using liquor
and as to his views about the eighteenth
amendment and the Volstead act. am
grateful to you for giving my represent
alive an interview and such informa-
ton as you had concerning the appli-
can't have to depend very largely
upon the members of the bar around
the country for accurate information as
to the qualifications of men for all
classes of posts under this department,
and it is very helpful when have the
opinion of members of the bar whom I
know and in whom have confidence.
THE inquiries made by our agents
about the habits of candidates as to
the use of liquor and their views on pro-
hibition are made at my direction. My
purpose is to obtain all the information
that is available about any candidate
which bears on his qualifications for the
post and his probable efficiency, and
helps me to form an opinion as to
whether he will be an efficient and salts
factory public officer. All facts which
bear on these matters are pertinent.
United States attorneys, assistant United
States attorneys. and United States mar
shals have directly to do with the en-
forcement of the national prohibition
act and the prosecution of cases under
it. So far as the personal use of liquor
is concerned, do not believe that any
Of the men in these posts should drink
under any circumstances. Stocks of pre-
war liquor are negligible quantity, so
far as general consumption Is con-
cerned. It is quite generally UNDER
stood now that this is so, and that with
few exceptions liquor that is served is
Illegally manufactured or imported. If
a United States marshal or other official
who has to do with the national prohibi-
ton act is observed to have a supply of
liquor and use it, it is generally assumed
that it is obtained from illicit sources.
and do not think that either vets or
drys have much respect for man who
participates as public official in the
prosecution of bootleggers and patron
ICES them for personal supply Of liquor.
Views Are Important.
with respect to the views Of a can
didate on prohibition, that is also an
important matter bearing on the prob
able efficiency of the candidate in the
prosecution of prohibition cases. No
head of any administrative organization
would think it wise to assign to par
ticular task a man who does not believe
in what is being done, has no heart in
it, and whose activities are constantly