Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-28
DeetS Pickett Testifies of At
titude Before Senate
Lobby Committee.
WILSON REPORT PRAISES
MELLON FOR DRY STAND
Treasury Secretary Said to Have
Been Hands Off" in Doran
-
Regime.
Ry thu Assnniatsd pr...

by the Associated Press
Believing Attorney General Mitchell
by far the dryest Justice Department
head we ever had" Deets Pickett tex-
titled to the Senate lobby committee to-
day the Methodist Board of Tennper-
ance had supported the legislation to
take prohibition enforcement from the
Treasury.
President Hoover signed the bill
transferring Jurisdiction to the Depart
ment Of Justice yesterday.
Senator Blaine, Wisconsin. nrod,,csd
report by Clarence True wilson. gen
eral secretary of the Methodist Board
IN opposition to the transfer. It devei.
oped this had been made before the
move. '-'0
Pickett said he thought President
aoover, who was responsible for en-
iorcement, should be given q free hand.
Says Mitchell Driest.
The Wilson report said prohibition
had been better handled by Secretary
Mellon than 1t would have been by A.
Mitcheu Palmer, Harry M. Daugherty or
tne easy-going Sargent" all former
attorneys General. In that connection.
Pickett expressed his opinion that
Mitchell was "driest" of them ali.
The research secretary said an or
ganization ought ito go slow" in OPP
"Mussolini would be happy with that
situation" Senator Caraway Commented.
Pickett testified his organization keeps
card index Of the votes Of the mem
bers OF Congress on prohibition and Of
their religious afiliations.
Pickett said the board has "full faith
IN President Hoover"
Mellon Hands or"
said:
Our observation in recent years, es-
pecially since the appointment of Mr..
Doran, has been that Mr.. Mellon has
Kept his hands OF in regard to pro-
James M. Doran is prohibition COM
missioner at the Treasury.
Pickett said everybody knew Mellon
at on time was related indirectly to
the distillery business
| He said he thought william j. Dono-
van, II he had been appointed Attorney
General, would have done his utmost
70 enforce prohibition.
Those who oppose the continuation
OF prohibition are classed as vets by the
board" he said, adding:
Some people who drink favor the law
because they believe the economic and
social results are good"
Pickett commended Congressman should
obey the prohibition law despite per-
sonal preferences.
Keeps Card Index.
do you have q card index Of Con-
gressmen?" Blaine asked.
"Oh, yes," Pickett said. "It shows
their votes on prohibition"
Pickett said the board had appro-
priated $1,000 to the Anti-Saloon Lea
que for use in connection with q prohi-
bition referendum.
The witness said the board also kept
card index Of the religious afiiliations
Of members of Congress to show how
, many "of the people making our laws
haveSa Christian church background"
A report by Wilson, placed In the
record. said In part:
1T is happy circumstance that the
Government IS to fall into the hands of
consistent Quaker and Methodist
Vice President.
ut was very interesting to watch the
schemes of the vets and the nullifiers
as they sought to bow the preacher out
of politics and bring in all the trusted
wet advocates Of the church that had
taken no part in politics or religion, but
got the consent Of its Pope for all Sis
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