The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-02-26
PRIEST SLAPS
HOOVER, AIDS
FOR DRY VIEW
Thinking Has Been MuddIed
by Prohibition, Asserts
Prominent Educator.
STATE OPTION is URGED
Citizens Are Not Bound by
Conscience to Respect
Law, House Told.

BU Dnited Press
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-Presi-
dent Hoover. Attorney General
Mitchell and the WickerSham law
enforcement commission are among
those who have joined in unusual
violations of constitutional rights
in connection with prohibition en-
forcement, it was charged before the
house judiciary committee hear
ing on bills to repeal or modify the
dry law, today.
The Rev. John Ryan, Catholic
university sociologiSt, who made the
charge, also told the committee he
did not believe there was duty Of
conscience on the citizen to obey
the prohibition law.
Other prominent educators and
lawyers condemned the eighteenth
amendment in strongest terms to-
day. DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler as
sailed the amendment as an "iH-
pertinent invasion Of the Constitu-
ton" in letter sent to the commit
tee from Columbia university, C<
which he Is president.
Wilton j. Lambert. nationally
known Washington lawyer; Rice
Hooe. also an attorney at the cap
ital and DR.. Francis j. Gerry Of the
Chicago psychopathic hospital. all
attacked the law.
Urge State Option
Both Father Ryan and DR.. Butler,
recommended adoption of the Can
adian liquor dispenSary system,
while the two Washington lawyers,
both of whom painted conditions i'll
the capital as very bad" urged
adoption of a state option system
somewhat similar to that of the
Province of Quebec.
ProhibitionistS have the spirit of
Toryism, the Catholic university
sociologist asserted, citing q state
ment by DR.. Clarence True Wilson,
dry leader, that Criminals who
brew. distill. and buy and sell
liquor and who drink and serve
drinks" have no right to protection
Of the home under the fourth
amendment.
The priest asSailed the Jones
''f1ve and ten" law as tyrannical
because of its Cruel and unusual
puniShmentS." In his statement
that he does not believe the citizen
is bound by conscience to obey the
dry law, Father Ryan said this be-
lief is directly opposite to that he
held five years ago when. he said,
he thought the law was for the
public good.
Explains Attack
In explaining his statement con-
corning violations of constitutional
rights" by the President and other
high officials, Father Ryan said:
Prohibition sears everything 1t
touches. 1t confuses the mental
processes of the higher officials"
II do not believe you realize the
extent to which home brewing and
moonShining is rampant" Father
Ryan continued. In Minnesota
they have a particular brand of
moonshine known as Minnesota No.
49, named after a famous brand
Of corn.
Bishop Stanley of North Dakota
told me most Of the people in North
Dakota years ago never knew any
thing about liquor, but conditions
are different there today.
Il have a sister who is a nun at
Jamestown, N. D., who tells me the
same thing. She is a nun and
should be sheltered from that sort
Of thing, but the information prac-
tically Is thrust upon her"
Easy Problem
Buffers letter asserted there Is
no difficulty in dealing with the
social problems which arise from
liquor 'if one really wishes to deal
with them intelligently" He cited
the example Of the Scandinavian
people and those OF Quebec.
Most Of DR.. Gerty's testimony
concerned the increase in the
number of alcoholic cases since
prohibition. The Chicago physician
also pointed to the fact that Keely
institute for alcoholics recently built
q new building and enlarged its
hospital.
The increase in drinking among
young people also was stressed by
Lambert, noted lawyer who defend
ed former Secretary of Interior Fall
in the Elk Hills and Teapot Dome
oil cases. Lambert said government
employees do not make enough
e. I'D,