Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-14
Liggett Must Agree to Pro-
posal, However, Dry Law
Probe Chairman Says.
COMMITTEE LIMITS
HEARINGS TO 8 DAYS
Vets Are Expected to Object to
Procedure Decided Upon
by House Members.
BY the Associated Press


can, of Kansas, announced today that
Attorney General Smith of Kansas
would be given an opportunity next
wednesday to croSS-e examine Walter
w. Liggett, magazine writer, who told
the House judiciary committee he could
get liquor in any Kansas town Is min
utes after his arrival.
Arrangements had been made with
Chairman Graham of the committee.
Lamberton said, to permit the Kansas
official to question the magazine writer.
1t was indicated such an interrogation
could be made only If Liggett agreed to
1t. While before the committee he said
he was prepared to prove his state
ments.
Liggett was the first witness called by
the proponents of resolutions to repeal
the eighteenth amendment. He ex-
planned he had been assigned by his
publican, Plain Talk, to make a sur
vey Of prohibition conditions through
out the country and that he had visited
Kansas among other States.
Says "SnoOpers" Break Law.
Liggett charged that great quantities
OF hard liquor" were consumed in KAN
sas and that it was readily obtainable
both at hotels and from taxicog drivers.
The magazine writer also said the
Kansas governor had succeeded in get
ting the State Legislature to appropriate
$4,000 for group of shoppers, whom
he charged with being law violators.
Some of them, he said. were ex-convicts.
Lambertson also wired Gov. Reed Of
Kansas, who joined with the attorney
general. w. A. Smith, in requesting that
the latter be given an opportunity to
cross-examine Liggett.
In his wire to the Representative.
Smith aSsailed Liggett's testimony as
false, hbelous and untrue and not
based on any real investigation"
Liggett. the attorney general wired
further, has a long and unsavory re-
pute in this State (Kansas) and in my
opinion Is not worthy of belief" Smith
expressed desire also to furnish the
committee evidence to dispute Liggett's
statements
Meanwhile vigorous objection was ex-
pected from congressional vets as a re-
suit OF the decision of the House iudici-
airy committee to confine its investiga-
ton OF prohibition to an eight-day in
quiry, with brief periods of rebuttal to
follow
Instead of what the opponents of the
dry laws had expected to be a broad,
general inquiry occupying many weeks,
the committee has determined to limit
its hearings. with the time equally d.
vided between the friends and enemies
nj the piOhtaanfh opoandV1oant
The committee was in recess today
after devoting two days to witnesses
urging repeal of the anti-liquor laws
and meeting in executive session to de-
eide upon course of procedure.
VETS Get Two More Days.
The vets will be given two more days
next week, after which the drys will
have their say. 1t is planned to hold
days of each week until the specified
time has been given to the inquiry.
When hearings are resumed next
Wednesday the vets plan to present
Pierre S. du Pont of the E. I. du Pont
de Nemours Co.. Samuel H. Church,
president Of the Carnegie Institute, and
Robert II. CasSatt, son of the former
president of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
as their principal witnesses.
OHaHIIldH Williamson OF LIle House
expenditures committee, the author of
the measure, requested by President
Hoover to transfer the prohibition unit
from the Treasury to the Justice De-
partment, answered vigorously in a
radio address last night to several
charges of the vets.
Refers to Beck Plan.
He mentioned no names. but referred
to the suggestion of Representative
Beck Of Pennsylvania, a wet, that Con-
gress is not obligated to pass laws car
rying out the provisions of the eight
zenith amendment.
Members of Congress, he said, have
taken a solemn oath to support the
Constitution, and a refusal to carry
out the eighteenth amendment would
brand them as faithleSs, If not lawlesS."
He denounced "the doctrine of nulli-
fication" as one that had once led
America into lone of the most disas-
trous and bloody wars In history" and
asserted that If it is persisted in 1t will
lead again to open conflict"