Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-27
House Committee Also Bars
F. Scott Mcbride and
]. ]. Britt.
MITCHELL URGES SPEEDY
ACTION ON LEGISLATION
Opposes Placing Special Prohibition
Prosecutors Under Civil
Service.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The House expenditures committees
considering legislation to transfer the
prohibition unit from the Treasury to
the Justice Department, declined today
to invite DR.. Clarence True Wilson, Sec
rotary of the Methodist Episcopal
Church Board of Temperance, Prohibi-
ton and Public Morals, and F. Scott
Mcbride, superintendent of the Anti
Saloon League, to testify.
The committee also decided not to
call j. j. Britt, chief counsel of the
Prohibition Bureau of the Treasury De-
partment.
Representative Schafer, Republican,
of Wisconsin made two requests for
unanimous consent to hear the three
individuals. Representative Campbell.
Republican, Pennsylvania, objected on
the ground that it would prolong hear
ings to invite Britt Representative
Gasque, Democrat, South Carolina, OBJ
jected to the request to invite Wilson
and Mcbride.
Meanwhile Attorney General Mitchell
today urged the committee to expedite
action on legislation to transfer the pro-
hibition enforcement unit from the
Treasury to the Justice Department
Mitchell said he was in accord with
the recommendations of Secretary
Mellon before the committee favoring
the transfer, and Endorsed the William
son bill to effect this change
Attorneys in the Treasury Depart
ment connected with the prohibition
unit would be transferred to the Justice
Department along with the agents in
order to carry on prosecutions, Mitchell
said.
He opposed putting prohibition unit
attorneys under the civil service, and
said they would be absorbed in the Office
OF the Justice Department ON an equal
basis with those already in service.
Many things under the bill, the At
torney General said, would have to be
worked out as administrative problems.
Schafer Questions mitchell.
Representative Schafer asked .'why
not put all United States attorneys
under the civil service"
Mitchell replied that the question was
not pertinent to the matter under dis
cussion, but added that his department
work should not be placed under civil
service.
Schafer, wet, remarked that Mrs.
Mabel Walker Willebrandt former As
Sistant Attorney General, had written
That one reason for failure of the en-
forcement of the dry law was the
"Spoils system" used in appointing dis
trict attorneys.
Representative Cochran, Democrat.
a
assurance that dry agents would not
use Federal Court subpoenas on large
industrial concerns to obtain informa-
ton. He charged that dry agents had
summoned officials of the American
Can Co. and the Corn Products Co.
from st. Louis to Springfield, Ill, with
Federal Court subpoenas.
Stands for Enforcement.
Mitchell answered that he did not be-
lieve in considering questions Of that
kind during the formulation of legis-
lation of the character before the COM
mittee. He explained that he did not
plan to make promises of what he was
going to do, but added that I'VE do the
best we can under the law"
THE Department of Justice stands
for law enforcement" Mitchell said.
Representative Stone, Republican, of
Oklahoma asked Mitchell If the dis
trict attorneys should not be asked to
take pledge of total abstinence. The
Attorney General said he recently wrote
letter on that subject, which he would
submit to the committee, but he de-
clined to discuss the matter before the
group.
In answer to questions by Schafer,
the Attorney General said he believed
the proposed bill would give the Justice
Department adequate authority to in
veStigate the diversion of industrial al
cohol under Treasury Department per-
mits, for illegal purposes.
The measure provides for the super
vision of industrial alcohol and mar
cotics to remain under the Treasury.
Mitchell asserted his department
would have all the power needed to in
vestigate law violations through al
cohol diversion.
Discusses Permit Plans.
Mitchell said the bill did not contem-
plate that the Justice Department in
vestigate each alcohol permit issued by
the Treasury.
If the diversion of Alcohol interferes
with our work." Mitchell said, I'VE will
do everything we can to stop it from a
point OF self-defense. We have every
motive to do 1t and we have the power"
LIE placing OF the PrOh1bitlOn Bu-
reau under the Justice Department, he
said, would make prosecution of cases
easier, because they could be prepared
in cooperation with the district at
torneyS.
Discussing the granting of LIQUOR
permits, Mitchell said the Justice De-
partment did not propose to take an
arbitrary position in investigating them,
but If information of law violation or
information along that line came to
the department an inquiry would be
made.
Promises Cooperation.
Mitchell said cooperation between
the departments on the permits could
be expected.
Representative Cochran, Democrat, of
Missouri, said he proposed an amend
ment to the Williamson bill to provide
for $4,000 bond for each prohibition
agent in order that persons who suffer
physical or personal damage from them
could institute suit for damages.
Asked what he thought of it, Mitchell
said he had considered 1t, but did not
commit himself.
Cochran asked If the Attorney Gen.
eral would have any objection to an
amendment to impose a penalty on
each violator of the search and seizure
provision.
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