The Indianapolis times., 1930-06-10
Education, No Violence,
Seen as New Course of
Liquor Foes.
HOOVER TAKING LEAD
Washington View Is That
President Is Trying to
Change System.
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER
United Press staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, June 10. - A
growing belief here that President
Hoover is trying gradually to edu-
cate the country toward new at
titude with regard to prohibition
was strengthened today by the Bos-
ton speech of Chairman Wicker
sham Of the Presidents law en-
forcement commission.
WickershaIn declared that since
the arrival of federal prohibition,
dependence upon education as to
the evils of liquor had been aban-
doned, and an attempt to enforce
excessive" penalties "in the nature
of vengeful reprisals upon those
who question the legislative wis
dom" had been substituted.
He said this method reached its
climax in the Jones law, making a
felony of all prohibition violations
except possession and maintenance
of a nuisance. He said the long
process of education against the
evils of drink which led up to the
eighteenth amendment had been
abandoned, contrasting the progress
toward temperance made in Eng
land under system of persistent
education.
Viewed as Significant
Such utterance by the head of the
Presidents commission which is in
vestigating prohibition, was re-
ceived here as of greatest signifl-
canoe.
President Hoover has continued
his silence on the prohibition ques-
ton, but the feeling in Washington
is that he patiently is preparing the
way, hoping to bring about a
change in the handling of the pro-
hibition issue whereby education will
replace attempts to force temper
ance by legislation.
He declared in the presidential
campaign that prohibition was "a
great social and economic expert
nent, noble in motive and far
reaching in purpose" He said he
was against repeal of the eighteenth
amendment.
President Hoover is understood
here to feel that prohibition has
brought about economic gains. There
is, however. a feeling that he is not
satisfied with the results of enforce
ment. Many think he believes in
creased temperance will depend
upon education of the public as to
the evils of drink rather than at
tempts to enforce abstinence by
statute.
New Laws Sought
Since Mr.. Hoover became Presi-
dent, however, he has kept strict
official silence on these points, and
while the law enforcement COM
mission has been investigating pro-
hibition the President has confined
himself to efforts to enforce exist
ing laws.
Meanwhile, the Wickersham COM
mission has sought new laws to sim
plify the problem. Congress has,
at the insistence Of the President
and Wickersham, passed a bill
which transfers the prohibition en-
forcement machinery from the
treasury to the justice department
July l.
The house has passed bills to
soften the Jones law penalties and
to permit minor prohibition offenses
to be tried without juries. There is
little prospect of these two meas
ures passing the senate at this
session, however.
The action of Ambassador Dwight
w. Morrow in declaring for repeal
of the eighteenth amendment in his
campaign for the Republican SEN
atorial nomination in New Jersey
has given impetus to national con-
sideration of the prohibition ques-
ton. DR.. F. Scott Mcbride, general
superintendent of the Anti-Saloon
League, recently told the senate
lobby committee that his organiza-
ton is preparing to spend large
sums in a new campaign of edu-
cation against the evils of liquor
much like the old-style campaigns
which promoted enough temperance
sentiment to force through federal
prohibition.