The Washington times., 1930-01-11
PLEADS
FOR HOME
RAIDS
(continu.d From Psse -

the mash which Is being cooked
In stills behind the doors Of
private houses. They may have
utter personal conviction that
the laws Of their country are
being defied behind those closed
portals. But they may not enter
that door and do their duty
unless they have clear and sworn
proof that liquor has been sold
on those premises.
Outside Evidence
'But there Is nothing in the
Constitution which is meant to
protect those criminals who are
using . small part Of it as a
cloak for their nefarious pur-
poses, who are perverting the Law
Of our land to shield them from
the righteous anger Of those who
uphold 1t. The fourth amend
ment was never intended to rem.
der inviOlate that home wherein
our officers have every right to
suspect that law is being violated.
II necessary, therefore, it should
be modified 50 as TO prevent the
sacred protection of the house
hold from shielding commercial
violations Of the nations Con
stitution.
IA well founded suspicion,
based on outside evidence, not
inside, should be ample to war
rant q writ OF immediate search"
Just here I am going to offer
you q surprise. There has been
q great deal Of denunciation of
New York, Maryland and q few
other States for not having state
laws in support Of the Federal
prohibition act. Did you have
any idea that there is no local
law In the District Of
Columbia? The District did have
an admirable prohibition law,
put through by the zeal Of Sena-
tor Sheppard Of Texas. but since
the passage Of the Volstead Act
attorneys have held that the law
has been superseded and 1t has
been allowed to lapse except in
certain features, such IS prohi-
bition Of public drunkenness and
Of driving an automo-
bile while drunk.
'"The practical effect Of no 10
cal prohibition law in the Dis
trict Of Columbia Is that the po-
lice cannot participate effectively
In the enforcement Of prohibition
at all. There are 1912 police In
washington. Only 40 of them can
serve q warrant for violation Of
the prohibition law. and these 20
can do so only because they have
been sworn in as Federal prOhi-
bition agents!
'I can at this very hour go to
q store on H Street which sells
bottles to be used by whisky
manufacturers, and false labels
bearing the names Of old brands,
to be pasted on bottles Of raw
corn liquor colored with caramel.
Under Section 10, Of the VolStead
Act, prosecutors must show intent
to violate the law, even though
the offender may sell so-called
compounds bearing directions
clearly indicating how they are to
be used, but warning against use
Of them In violation Of law.
Hoover A Help
THAT the situation has i'm
proved since Mr.. Hoover entered
the White House is undoubtedly
the general opinion in Washing
ton. This Improvement has not
so much been because Of any
thing the President has done as
because Of the. moral support he
has given the cause of law OBJ
Servance. Not only the political
OfficeholderS in washington but,
3 considerable Segmen Of
society" is directly interested in
the success Of the administration;
and it is quite apparent that
Mr.. Hoover considers q SatiSfac-
tory handling Of the prohibition
enforcement problem essential to
this success.
In society. the old.time aristo-
Gratis who are numerous in Wash
ington, are in the main abstain
ing, while the tables of influe1l-
tial social leaders are becoming
increasingly dry. It is the newly
rich who still drink, many Of
them apparently with nervous
anxiety to do the fashionable
thing.
Of diplomatic immunity are con-
ceived by the police to be even
more extensive than they are
Probably there are not more than
500 people in Washington &C
tually entitled to immunity, but
there are approximately 5000 at
tacheS and secretaries, with 1000
servants, and the quantity Of
rum which comes into the Dis.
trict supposedly for the use of
these people Is amazing.
IF ] were called upon for proof
I should have none to offer; but
it is the general belief in Wash
ington that large quantities Of
liquor escape from the embassies
into society," and it is not u1-
common to hear men who boast,
This is good liquor Just from
the other side. got It from the
- embassy; no trouble to get
II there at all. -"