Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-20
EX-OFFICIALS GIVE
ANTI-DRY EVIDENCE
Benedict CroWeII and Former
Senator Appear Before
House Committee.
Continued From First page.l

EdRe.J
added, that neither the circuit prose-
cutor nor the State prosecuting attorney
would attempt to enforce the eighteenth
amendment
williams asserted that in the county
In which he resided there had developed
a business whereby wealthy manufac-
turers Of alcohol were hiring farmers
and others to take the rap" for them
in the Federal courts when confronted
with charges of violations of the prohi-
bition laws. He accused the Federal
authorities of permitting this condition
to continue and added that public opin-
ion against the dry law was so strong
that the situation was tolerated.
The former Senator said that the
people in his neighborhood openly dis
cussed their bootleggers and the prices
demanded for liquor without feeling in
any way that they were doing anything
wrong in violating the law. Many of
these persons, he testified, were sub
Stantial citizens.
williams said the people in his part
of Missouri felt they were not bound by
prohibition laws because they were not
consulted and their consent was not
sought when the eighteenth amend
ment was adopted. He was asked by
Representative Summers, Democrat,
1EASd, 10 EADidln WIldN llC UlCdIlk anu
he declared that the eighteenth amend
ment was the first and only one that
increased the power of the Federal
Government and deprived the people of
their lights
At this point the witness explained
that he was not a candidate for any
Office and charged that the views of
many members of Congress were ex-
pressed on the prohibition question be-
Raffee thew v-ora candidates
Accuses Congress Members.
Summers Strengthened up in his seat
and exclaimed: THAT doesn't affect
me-"
williams then charged that there
were lot of members of Congress who
were politically dry, but who were per-
sonally wet
Representative Browning, Democrat,
Tennessee, interposed: Then you in
dict the whole CongreSs?"
The witness replied the negative, but
added that for political reasons many
members of Congress came out as dryS
during campaigns and neglected other
questions of State.
Summers then said he felt that he
and the witness had kcome to the
borderline of personalities and then
questioned Williams as to whether he
found among his friends an attitude
of resentment against the dry laws
The witness replied that many OF
them violated the prohibition laws as
protest and because of their resentment
TO them.
Holds Popular Vote Needed.
Williams said if the position were
sound that the national government
had Only the powers the people give 1t, |
"then the eighteenth amendment was
never submitted to the owners OF this |
Government"
"If it was necessary" he continued, |
''to submit the original Constitution Of |
the United States to the people then |
it was just as necessary to submit an |
amendment of the Constitution to the
people"
He said he would challenge any mem |
Der Of the committee contending the !
amendment was valid as a result of its
submission TO and adoption by State |
Legislatures.
Asserting that the purpose of the |
amendment was to make people stop |
drinking, he argued the dry law was
as nearly nullified as it applies to most
of the country as were the fourteenth |
and fifteenth amendments in the South. /
williams insisted the eighteenth
amendment should have been submitted |
to the people, holding that Congress |
could derive added power only from
the people. Failing to do this, Williams |
asserted, Congress "revives the impious |
doctrine of the Old World, that people |
were made for governments and not |
governments for the people"
Declares Laws Not Enforced.
'In the section of the country where |
I 1--we" he went on. neither the State |
nor national prohibition laws are OBJ |
served or enforced" He added, men |
in that area, innocent of ANY overt
act" had gone to jail and that many
of our best citizens make wine and
beer in their homes and purchase hard
liquor from bootleggerS without any
consciousness Of criminal guilt what
Soever."
For the first time in human history,
through prohibition" he continued, I'VE
have financed the worst, the most deS-
perate, the most arrogant criminal class
the world has probably ever known"
He contended the criminal class ia
vored prohibition, and added that many
of the best people in America also IA
vor prohibition.
we thus find that the best and the
worst elements of our society are linked
together in a political partnership for
the enforcement of the Volstead and
Jones acts" he said. What an In
compatible and unholy alliance! OF
course, 1t was unintenttonal."