Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-29


and bylaws prohibiting the sale OF
liquor. Several of the States have pro-
hibition directors and agents of their
own. All have county sheriffs, deputies
and marshalS. Every municipality has
a police force of some kind, and the
man on the beat knows what is going
on, or he can easily find it out.
Cooperation Generally Good.
We get excellent cooperation in most
communities. The degree of co-opera-
ton generally varies, but in many places
where the local sentiment seems to be
adverse to local officers. imbued with
the idea that their duty is measured by
the laws as enacted by the duly consti-
tuted representatives elected by a ma
jority of the neople and not by the
personal views expressed by some indt-
viduals unfaYorable to it, continue to
enforce the law. And the best CO.
operation that can be given is the
effective enforcement of State and local
laws.
We will seek to continue the co-opera-
ton of the many State and local ON
GERS who are making good job OF 1T
now, and to secure the cooperation Of
those who in the past have not dis
played that interest and activity that
is indispensable to good results. In
making a tour Of all the districts Col.
Woodcock will himself discuss the prob
lem with as many State ofncials as Is
possible. The prohibition administra-
tors, and through them the deputy ad-
ministrators, have been instructed to
keep in close touch with the State and
local officials in their respective terri
tories.
The Federal and the State and the
local enforcement acts all have the
same object. 1t is not so much q
question of our enforcing the Federal
law or of their enforcing State laws and
local ordinances; it is rather that all
cooperate to accomplish the common
object of all these laws and ordinances,
which Is the suppression of the liquor
traflc. And, after all, it is not q mat
ter Of enforcin the prohibition laws
alone. The enforcement of those laws
constitutes merely one part OF the ire
important task of enforcing
the criminal laws generally. The asso-
Citations and ramiflcationS of the law
less element are such that prosecutions
and convictions under the prohibition
laws tend to prevent the commission
and effect the punishment of other
crimes as well. BY observing and en-
forcing the liquor laws you will aid in
the enforcement and the observance Of
all other Federal and State laws en-
acted to penalize misconduct and ad-
vance the public welfare.
Wants to Aid States.
While the National Government must
act within the limits of the powers
vested in it, and the States within the
limits of theirs, we all have q deep in
terest in seeing that the laws of both,
each sovereign within its proper sphere,
are obeyed. To that end the Bureau Of
Prohibition, acting always, of course,
within the scope of its powers and
duties, will endeavor to aid States and
municipalities in their efforts to stamp
out crime, to compel honesty in public
Office and to secure the safety and well
fare Of the public. The FED and
the State governments have each their
own statutes and independent organi-
Zations fer their administration, but we
are all citizens Of one Nation, and crime
Is our common enemy.
But the law-enforcing agencies Of
Government, even when manned by
earnest and competent men, are not
much more than the framework in an
organization of the kind required in the
effective accomplishment of the work
of enforcement. 1t has been, and will
continue to be, the rule of the Bureau
of Prohibition to enlist the aid of bust
ness and other legitimate interests.
Many Of them are performing valu-
able service. The transportation facili-
ties furnished by the railroads, so neces-
Sary to our existence, have been abused
by the shipment of freight and other
wise of Illicit liquor bearing false labels
Several " ago conferences between
officials Of the railroads and the Gov.
eminent resulted in q method Of in
Spection and control which have greatly
reduced the unlawful transportation OF
liquor. Information gathered by en-
ployeS of the railroad companies and
transmitted to the administrators has
resulted not only in the seizure of great
quantities of liquor but in some cases
has given leads to gigantic conspira.
cies, which, followed out by the. sctal
agents OF the bureau, have brought
about the prosecution and conviction
of the leaders Of the conspiracy.
Realtors Help Dry Forces.
The prohibition administrators also
have sought, and in most cases secured,
the cooperation Of the real estate
boards in the larger cities. The Fed
eral law and many of the State laws
provide for the closing Of any building
or other structure where Intoxicating
liquor iS manufactured. sold or kept in
violation Of law. Naturally, property
owners wish to protect their premises
from the penalty Of the statute, and the
bureau is interested in preventing VIOLA
tions. Accordingly, 1t is common prac-
tice for the administrator when l4e
learns that a tenant is violating the
law, and he believes that the owner is
ignorant of 1t and has not been negli-
gent IN failing to ascertain the fact
notifies the owner in oder that he may
put q stop to the Illicit traffic and evict
the tenant. OF courcc, it is the bust
ness Of the owner to know what his
property is being used for, but the ad-
miniStratorS, although they are under
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