Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-16
Beedy and SprouI Uphold VOL
stead Act, as La Guardia
Denounces Conditions.
GOV. GREEN SCORES
CRITIC AS POLITICIAN
Hearings to Be Resumed Tues
day on Christopherson
Proposal.
BY the Associated Press.

Prohibitions defenders and antae-
onlsts claShed anew in the House YES
terday while plans went ahead for
legislative consideration of the contro-
verted proposal to allow United States
commissioners to try casual or minor
offenders of the dry laws.
Two arid Republicans, Beedy of
Maine and Sproul of KANSAS, upheld
the Volstead act. Another Republican,
as emphatically wet, La Guardia of
New York, rejoined with a repetition
OF the charge often made that enforce
ment conditions are deplorable.
Representative Christopherson, Re-
publican, South Dakota, introduced an
amendment to the bill he is sponsoring
to carry out the law enforcement COM
missions recommendations concerning
trials by United States commissioners.
His aim is to remove ground for OBJ
jections that the original measure is
unconstitutional. Hearings on the pro-
posal will be resumed on Tuesday.
Green Scores Critic.
Meanwhile, Gov. Green of Michigan
was given attention on Capitol Hill
when he characterized as political
attack" charges made against him last
week before the judiciary committee.
Walter Liggett, magazine writer, teS-
titled that Green had attended "a wild
party" near Detroit. The executive said
formally that the assertion was admit
tedly based on the statement OF po-
litical enemy"
The statements of three Circuit Court
judges of Michigan were submitted by
Gov. Green in reply to Liggett's testi-
nony. which he said he did not wish
to dignity" The judges, Homer Fer
guson, Allan Campbell and Maurice
Mcmahon, all denied Liggett's charges.
In defense of Gov. Green, Judge Fer
portunity to testify before the judiciary
committee. He termed Liggett a pro
feSsional politician" and said the music
at the party referred to was provided
by a band of boys between the ages of
Z and II. He added that songs and
dances were given by professional per-
formers who have appeared before au-
diences Of some of the best men and
women in Detroit.
Beedy Defends VoIstead Act.
Representative Beedy took issue with
recent addresses of Representative Beck,
Pennsylvania, and Fort, New Jersey
both Republicans. He challenged the
vets, in their position that the Volstead
act is unpopular. to influence their
State Legislatures to propose an amend
ment to the Constitution by repeating
the eighteenth amendment. Beedy
national life" the millions of men and
women in humble circumstances whom
he said obey the dry laws.
Beedy asserted that every advance in
the perfection of representative sys-
TEN of Government has involved cur
tailment of the liberties of the indi-
vidual," adding, mo great national
policy which has ultimately strength
ened our industrial and political fabric
and thus reflected credit upon its sup
porters has been possible without limi-
tation on individual rights"
Representative La Guardia attacked
the position taken by Beedy a few
weeks ago that you could not blame
the red-blooded Coast Guardsmen for
drinking confiscated liquor after they
had been working in ice-water knee
deep" He then read a newspaper clip
ping to the effect that several Coast
Guardsmen had pleaded guilty to plac-
ing railroad ties on railroad track.
Assistance of Canada.
While the Dominion of Canada has
gone out of its way to meet the pro-
hibition situation in the United States.
La Guardia said, the inability to pre-
vent smuggling of liquor to this coun-
try was through no fault of theirs, but
due to the prohibition law itself. Large
bootlegging interests have founded a
lucrative business. he said, to meet the
universal demand" for liquor.
Representative SprouI directed the
attention of the House to what he called
the popularity of the eighteenth
amendment" He advocated additional
legislation to strengthen the prohibi-
ton law. Under the present law, he
said. any kind of liquor could be manu-
featured in the homes and there could
be no prosecution unless there was proof
of sale. The law should be amended,
he said, to provide "easier entrance to
the homes of bootleggers9'