Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-20
DRY LOBBY CONTROL
OF CONGRESS IS HIT
Representative Norton
Charges Body Under Con-
troll of Prohibitionists.

By the Associated Press.
The charge that Congress was to q
certain extent" under the control of
the Anti-Saloon League was made in
the House today by Representative
Mary r. Norton, Democrat, New Jersey.
Mrs. Norton, q wet, in a prepared
speech, urged the House to throw OF
the shadow Of paid lobbyists and con-
slider prohibition "dispassionately."
She asked for consideration of her
resolution to provide national pro-
hibition referendum, maintaining that
1t was "as much a resolution for the
drys as for the VETS"
+ ar have q great respect for. my col
leagues In this House" Mrs. Norton
said, "and ! feel certain many OF you
would like to be relieved Of the I'M
savory label Of the Anti-Saloon League
whose business transactions. as dis
closed by recent testimony before the
Senate lobby committee, conclusively
prove this organization to be what we
have always suspected 1t to be, an or
gai1ization Of clever men, who prey
upon ignorance and prejudice for their
personal gain"
mo Reason for Crimes"
"If altruism prompted these men we
could forgive their mistakes" she added,
but no such reason has been or ever
will be found for the terrible crimes
they are responsible for in their de-
spicable work of threatening men and
distorting facts"
Mrs. Norton said she believed "Con-
s.~~ee Se reA 1,oc hoAvH N,ntpN11ad IN Gonna
extent, by this league and its allied
church organization.
1.-THE time has come when this
stranglehold on perfectly honest MEM
bers Of Congress shall be destroyed" she
continued. Paid lobbyists should be
driven from the halls Of Congress and
members should be free to do what
their conscience prompts them to do"
Mrs. Norton said she had received
scores Of threatening letters since In.
Producing her resolution for a refer
endum.. =
She termed the first report of the
Hoover Law Enforcement Commission "a
pathetic admission of the unwisdom Of
Federal prohibition and the impossibility
Of enforcing it."
Mrs. Norton said she believed sin.
cerely In temperance and asserted that
prior to passage Of the prohibition laws
the country had made progress in that
direction. Had the millions been spent
In education that have been spent ir
enforcement, she said, the country
would not have 'the sad conditions
confronting us everywhere"
Asks Referendum.
Prohibition, she said, should be taker
out Of politics. This could only be done
she maintained. by allowing the PEG.
pie to take part In a national referen.
dunn, after which the people woult
abide by the wishes of the majority.
Neither the extreme so-called 'wets
nor the 'drys' will ever provide q SO.
luton to the prohibition problem" she
asserted. 1T Is not q question whether
or not one desires drink. It is a fal
more important matter. for it deali
with the soul of great nation. It /.
question Of disobedience of law"
Mrs. Norton declared no law had evel
been observed by the masses unless tn,
law had public opinion supporting 1t
II 1t does not enjoy the support o.
public opinion. its disobedience Is moi
considered q crime, she said.
Mrs. Norton termed the failure of thu
House judiciary committee to report 9
bill on prohibition, - cowardly methoc
Of evading . great responsibility"