Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-27
Capitalist Would Put min
listers and Anti-SaIoon
League" in Charge.
WANTS "BEST CITIZENS"
TO HEAD ENFORCEMENT
Does Not Believe Volstead Act Can
Be Amended With Success.
full Result.

BY the Associated Press.
Repeal of the eighteenth amendment
and establishment of State control COM
missions composed of Anti-Saloon
League members, ministers and "our
best citizens" was urged today at the
House judiciary committees prohibi-
ton hearing by Pierre S. du Pont, the
Delaware capitalist, as a means of
putting liquor control "in good hands"
rather than in the hands of criminals.
Du Pont, power in the financial
world and chairman of the board of
E. I. du Pont de Nemours g. Co., ex-
pressed doubt If the dry statute had
added to prosperity, and said the only
solution Of the liquor problem lay in
the best people of the Nation directing
their attention to it.
He said it was questionable whether
the Volstead act could be honestly
amended to satisfy the American
people" and asserted ''by all means
we should do nothing that requires
dishonest purpose"
He argued that State commissions
road commissions, might prove g means
OF placing liquor under satisfactory
control.
First Witness of Day.
In this way, he continued, States
could control liquor to meet their re-
spective needs.
Du Point was the first witness at the
csonclu6lng session OF the six days hear
ings allotted to opponents of prohibi-
ton. The friends of the dry law still
have to be heard.
Du Pont opened with the terse state
ment: i am for repeal of the eighteenth
amendment"
AS he spoke in the crowded commits
Tee room, where a. decade ago the eight
zenith amendment and the Volstead act
were framed, Raymond Pictcairn of
Philadelphia, director Of the PITTSBURGH
Piate Glass Co. and Henry H. Curran
OF new York City. president of the As
ISOLATION Against the Prohibition
Amendment, SAT awaiting their turns TO
voice objection to the dry statutes.
Follows Atterbury.asS sssses ~
Du Pont picked up the thread Of av-
gument against the amendment where
w; w. Atteroury, president of the PENN
savanna Railroad and Republican ma
tlonal committeeman from Pennsyl-
vania, had left off yesterday.
Coming TO Warrington by special
Train to testify before the comrnittee
Atterbury had urged that the VoIstead
law be repealed and authority delegated
TO the States to determine for them
selves what is Intoxicating liquor and
whether they should enact legislation
70 enforce the eighteenth amendment,
He expressed the opinion that "a
great advance in the real cause Of tenn
perance" would be made by properlv
regulated manufacture and sale Of
liquor under State and national SUPER
vision. similar to the Canadian and
Swedish systems, with these modified to
suit conditions peculiar to America.
The heart of the prohibition prob
lem. Atterbury said, Is to minimize the
abuse Of alcoholic beverages and re-
store that respect for law which is now
seriously jeopardized" Temperance. he
asserted, has lost ground in the last
10 years.
Beginning his testimony, du Point said
he favored the repeal of the eighteenth
amendment asserted that excessive
users OF alcohol were few and added
that 1t was impossible to say how much
alcohol was used.
Prohibitions Absolute.
He declared the prohibitions of the
elgnteenth amendment were absolute,
CONTINUED on PAGE 3 Column e7