Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-24
Mitchell and Hoover Body
Views on Prohibition
Probe Desired.
NORRIS INQUIRY MUST
WAIT FOR TWO WEEKS
First Appearance of Enforcement
COMMITTEE Before Senators Thought
Waiting on Tariff.
By the Associated Press.

~ WIG ASSoClateu Press.
The Senate judiciary committee to-
Gay voted to call Attorney General
Mitchell and the Hoover Law Enforce
ment Commission before it two weeks
hence to get their views on the nro-
posed Senate inquiry into prohibition
enforcement.
Inc decision to defer consideration
OF the Norris resolution for a prohibi-
ton inquiry for two weeks was reached
ON motion by Senator Ashurst, Demo-
crat, Of Arizona. It carried almost
unanimously" There was no roll call.
Ashurst was silent on the purpose of
his move, but some members thought
1t was to postpone the consideration of
the subject until the tariff is out of the
way.
There was considerable discussion
again in the committee as Chairman
Norris called up his proposal, but the
Ashurst motion brought a quick terrni-
nation to the debate. all of which was
behind closed doors.
Senator Norris announced that the
Attorney General and the Law En-
forcement Commission would be heard
IN executive session. He said they
would. be questioned on their views
toward his resolution calling for an in
curry OF prohibition enforcement con-
ditionS.
1t will be the first time members of
the Hoover Law Enforcement Commits
SION VIII nave been before a Senate
Several of the commissioners have
appeared before House committee.
Norris Calls for Inquiry.
Norris has introduced a resolution to
PROVIDE 1or the inquiry. It would be
conducted by the judiciary committee
ana would include the activities of the
Pronlplt1on Bureau; an Investigation of
whether the dry laws have been "faith-
Iully, fairly and honestly enforced: the
determination of whether any lack of
enforcement that might be discovered
was due to inefficient or dishonest off,
Gals or to the lack of any legislation
Lnat Congress could provide; the deter
mnatlon OF whether politics has inter-
Iered with enforcement and the deter
mlnation to what extent. If any. the
real intent of the dry law has been
perverted or nullified by Inconsistency
or prejudice on the part of executive
o1nclals. The committee would be further
empowered to make any additional IN
vestigation it might think advisable.
In the House. Che prohibition contro-
vetSy was marking time until the
judiciary committee of that branch
resumes on wednesday its hearings on
measures proposing the repeal Of the
eighteenth amendment. The vets have
been given additional time for the pres
entatlon OF their testimony, but expect
70 conclude by Wednesday evening
after which the drys will come to the
oetense OF the much-assailed amend-
ment.
Curran Reports on Finances.
In statement issued over the weetr
END. Henry H. Curran, president of the
association Against the Prohibition
amendment reported that the receipts
OF ms organization for 1929 were $457.-
S26 and its expenditures $427,2I3. to-
getner with an increase from 103 to 227
In the membership of the board of
directors, which he described as repre-
Sentlng "a States and organizations
with more than 5000 900 EMPLOYEES and
$50,000,0o0. 900 in assets.
He predicted that many more States
would soon join the legal and peace
able revolt" of the people of New York
maryland, Wisconsin, Nevada and Mon
tana against State prohibition laws
During 1929, he said, the association
established State divisions in Ohio
pennsylvania, Rhode Island and New
York and strengthened itself in Cali
1ornla, Delaware, Arizona, Colorado
Connecticut, New Jersey and Louisiana
There already are, he said, Eve States
with millions of people who "will not
turn in and help national prohibition"
leaving "a self-confessed vacuum in
national enforcement of a law which
never was truly national and never
could be-"