Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-14
The DRY Enforcement Program.

The Dry Enforcement Program.
A comprehensive legislative program,
looking to more efficient enforcement
of the prohibition laws, has been sub
mitted to Congress by President Hoover.
It embodies the recommendations made
to the President by the Law Enforce
ment Commission and by the heads Of
the Treasury and Justice Departments.
If the program is written into law it
may have far-reaching effect. Indeed,
it is the belief of many who have
studied the recommendations and the
report of the Law Enforcement Com
mission that such will be the effect
Nothing in the recommendations sub
nitted by the President or by the
Law Enforcement Commission proposes
modification of the present dry laws.
The recommendations look rather to the
better enforcement of prohibition, which
the vets insist can never be enforced
The Law Enforcement Commission,
which was appointed to inquire into the
observance and enforcement OF the laws
of the United States, including pro-
libition. has made no attempt to say
whether prohibition, as a national
policy, is wise or not wise. 1t has done
what it was primarily appointed for.
It has recommended ways and means
Of making the enforcement Of the dry
laws more efhcient. The La! Enforce
ment Commission was not set up for the
purpose of tearing down prohibition, al
though opponents of the dry laws have
hoped that it would submit findings that
would bring about the modification If
not the destruction Of the dry laws as
they now stand.
President Hoover before he entered
the White House, described prohibition
as a great social and economic expert
ment, noble in motive and far reaching
in purpose" which must be worked out
constructiyely" His present recon-
mendations to Congress are in line with
that statement. He Is undertaking TO
work out prohibition "constructively."
It has been clear for long time that
the enforcement of the prohibition law
and all other laws was being hampered
by congestion of cases in the courts.
It has been clear, too. that the effort
to build up cases Of violation of the dry
laws in one department of the Govern
rnent and then have these cases prose-
cuted by another department resulted
In confusion, lost motion and IN lost
cases. The President, following the adj
vice Of the Law Enforcement Commits
sion, is proposing the transfer OF detec-
ton of violations of the prohibition
law to the Department of Justice. This
is sound procedure. 1t should have
been done long ago. Politics and q
lack of initiative on the part Of the
highest officials of the Government
have been responsible for the delay.
The recommendations for the relief
Of the congestion Of the courts run
along two lines. One goes to the pro-
vision of adequate court and prosecute
ing ofhcialS. The other looks to the
separation Of minor infractions OF the
prohibition law from those more serious,
so that the cases of minor violation
may be heard by United States COM
nissicners. This would free the courts
to deal with the more serious violations
of this law, as well as preventing their
calendars from becoming cluttered up
with all kinds of prohibition cases,
which prevent consideration Of other
kinds of cases. The Law enforcement
Commission and the Attorney Generai
both hold that this can be done con-
additionally.
Congress is called upon. to enact law
which will specify what constitutes
major and minor violations OF the pro-
hibition law, affixing penalties COM
rnensurate with the offense. Under sucn
q Law it is proposed to put into enect
the system of handling minor cases
through United States commissioners
without the need of grand jury pro-
ceedings. This is very practical soiu-
ton onered by the Law enforcement
Commission for relieving court conges-
ton.
The Presidents program Of legislation
for STRENGTHENING the enforcement OF
the dry laws is before Congress. In IT.
self it is an admission that prohioitlon
enforcement up to date has not oeen
satisfactory. But that is not new. the
effort is to make enforcement satisfac-
tory. Promises have been given by House
leaders that the necessary bills for carry
ing the program into effect will be ex'
uedited. It is to be expected, however
that these measures will lead TO Ions
and acrimonious debate, not OF tne
merits of the bills, but of the merits o.
prohibition itself. The wet minority j
active in both houses of Congress. Ma
tional prohibition is approaching IL
eleventh year. The very fact that viola
tons of the dry laws are so frequen
and so fragrant has given the vets cour'
age to demand modification OF TIT
existing law
Large figures quoted by Bishop Can
non make it appear that prohibition Is
entering upon bull market.
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