Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-13
Brazen Dampness of Mullan
Feeds Fire Of Dry Debaters

When the facts came out concern
ing Mullan, Idaho. which paid for
municipal improvements with graft
levied on prohibition violators, the in
formation provided more fuel for the fiery
debate on the volstead law, which has
recently begun with new fervor. Each
finds q text for his particular sermon
in the brazen conduct OF Mullan's city
fathers.
Unprecedented" is the term that the
country applies to the conditions In
Mullan, Idaho, a mining town which de-
cided to pay for local improvements by
levying public graft on those who were
activities. Federal dry agents made
raids which turned the eyes Of the
country in that direction, as many
convictions were achieved in court.
The incident is described as q whisky
rebellion" although lacking the fea-
lures Of belligerent acts. Attention is
directed In comments to the fact that
the raids were made In the home State
Of Senator Borah, active In prohibition
matters.
1--WE salute the courage, II not the
Judgment, Of those oficials of Mullan,
Idaho, who face prison terms as a re-
suit of their whisky rebellion" says
the Omaha World-Herald. "They have
brought into the open the often whis-
pered but seldom defended arguments
in favor of an open town
Mullan Is one of the few remaining
mining camps of the West. Located in
the heart Of the Occur d'Alenes, it Is
cut of by those forbidding mountains
from other human activity.
The very existence Of Mullan depended
on law violations, officials admitted
This was not whispering. It was actual
contention Of the defense In open Fed
eral Court. Attorneys declared that II
an occasional donation was given to
the officials 1t was not as q bride, but as
a fitting recognition Of their services.
Mullan did not equivocate. Its
whisky rebellion, however i'll advised,
was In the open. Its ofdcials fought for
lawlessness, without taking refuge In the
technicalities Of the law. The certainty
OF defeat did not drive them to hypoc-
risy."
ut does not irnpugn the sincerity of
Senator Borah's earnest desire for en-
forcement Of the prohibition law"
according to the Philadelphia Eve
ming Bulletin, but 1t ought to
carry emphatic suggestion to his
mind that prohibition enforcement
throughout the United States is not to
be gained merely by reorganizing the
Federal enforcement staff. The Mullan
situation undoubtedly is q local condi-
ton. And so are most OF the wet spots
in the United States. A Federal enforce
ment organization competent to put
down rebellion against the prohibition
law under such circumstances is a prac-
tical impoSsibnity, II the whole burden
Of enforcement Is put upon 1t.
The legal responsibility Of the State Of
Idaho for the enforcement Of q Federal
decree Of prohibition may be lacking,
but the moral Identification Of the State
with conditions within its Jurisdiction,
In support of or In defiance of the Fed
eral Constitution, cannot be denied. The
purpose and attitude Of State police
power, rather than any reorganization
or development Of Federal authority, is
the most potent determining factor I'm
the problem Of prohibition ENFORCE
ment."
Conviction of "a Of the 20 defend
ants" as viewed by the Spokane
Spokesman Review, els another demon
stration that juries In such cases will be
guided by the evidence and the instruc-
tons Of the court, and not by preju-
dices. The defendants here were given
q fair trial before an able and con-
scientious judge, and had the benefit of
defense by adroit attorneys. The
weight Of public opinion will be in ac-
cord with the merited tribute that the
court spoke to the jurors, for their
fidelity TO their oath and the intelli-