Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-21
Three Bills to BE Drafted
Which Will Garry Out
Recommendations.
"WET" BLOCK ORGANIZES
TO HOLD OWN HEARINGS
Representative Linthicum, Mary
land, to Take Charge Of Volun-
tary Testimony Expected.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
After Chairman Wickersham of the
Law Enforcement Commission had au-
peared before 1t, House judiciary sub
committee decided today to draft three
bills to carry out the commissions rec
concentrations to increase the powers
If the United States commissioners 10
handle misdemeanor cases in an effort
to relieve congestion Of the Federal
courts.
Dean Roscoe Pound. a member Of the
commission, also appeared for question
ing.
Satisfied on Constitutionality.
Representative Christopherson, Re-
publican. South Dakota, said that
Wickersham and Pound had cleared UP
any doubts held by the subcommittee rs
to the constitutionslity of the proposed
procedure.
Christopherson said one Of the bills
would outline the procedure Of han
ding minor cases before the United
States and that two amendments prob
ably, would be incorporated into one
bill. II these we're done. there would be
but two instead of three measures.
One Of the amendments would define
slighA or casual offenses. The other
would amend the Jones-Stalker law to
provide for penalties for misdemeanors
Of not more than six months In Jail
and fine of $500.
Chairman Wickersham said he and
Dean Pound had gone over the whole
subject relative to increasing the powers
of the commissioners"
I'VE discussed fully the difference
between the slight or casual oifenses
and the right to trial by jury" he said.
The commissioners are to have turis-
diction in cases wherein there Is no
right to trial by jury
Wickersham said that Pound dis
cussed the constitutionality, of the pro-
posal and had cleared up any doubts
on that question.
ChristopheTson said hearings prob
ably would be held before the subcofn-
mittee Friday on the measures. because
there were several groups which desired
to acneer against the proposals. wicker
sham Nnd Pound were heard By the
Is nittee behind closed doors
while the. militant. and defiant
bloc of the House went ahead
III plans for conducting its own hear
inlgs on proposals for the modification
of the prohibition laws.
Wet Bloc Organizes.
An organization meeting was held
late yesterday with so members attend
ing. Representative Linthicum was re-
elected to the chairmanship and Rep
resentative Florence p. Kahn Of Cali
fornia was chosen as secretary.
1t Is confidently expected that the
executive committee will sponsor the
resolution of Representative Mary r.
Norton Of New Jersey, to provide q ma
tional referendum on the modification
Of the anti-liuuor laws.
Hearings before the executive COM
mittee will be held very soon, and
prominent people from all over the
country will be invited to come here
and testify at their own expense" LIN
thicum said.
While the plans Of the "wsts" were
being formulated, Representative Cram
ton, Republican, Michigan, today took
up the challenge of Representative
Sirovich of New York, with q proposal
that emetics be submitted for poisons
as denaturants OF industrial alcohol.
Two members of the cabinet, Secre-
tary Mellon and Attorney General
Mitchell, are to be called before con-
gressional committees In connection
with legislation proposed by President
Hoover to transfer the prohibition unit
from the Treasury to the Justice De-
partment