The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-05-08
ANTI-SALOON
Chief DENIES
HOOVER LINK
League Not in Lobbying
Field, Mcbride Tells
Probe Group.
dashed AT BY BLAINE
CaraWay Steps In to Fling
Sarcastic Hints at
Superintendent.

BIZ bHiffd Press
WASHINGTON, May 8.-The
Anti-Saloon League never has con
ferred with President Hoover re-
garding legislation or appointments
to public Office, and has established
no contact with Mr.. Hoover Ito my
knowledge" F. Scott Mcbride, gen
eral superintendent Of the dry or
ganization, told the senate lobby
committee today.
Mcbride was called at the behest
Of Representative Tinkham (Rep.,
MassJ, a wet. who demanded an
inquiry into the leagues activities.
The dry leader, successor to the
late Wayne B. Wheeler, also denied
the league communicates with
judges, as far as I know"
No briefs are submitted to judges,
he said, although state branches of
the league Go communicate with
prosecutors, giving information only
when it is requested.
Do Not Include Branches
The leagues expenditures last year
were S273 ,O49, Mcbride said in pic
turing the organization as a re-
strained and abstract advisory or
ganization instead of a powerful
political lobby.
He pointed out these figures do not
include any of the various state
branches, which keep separate &C
counts, although their work dove
tails with the national organization.
The Association Against the Pro-
hibition Amendment spent $467, 900
in 1929, but this figure included all
national activity.
The only lobbying done by the
league. Mcbride explained, is in
keeping the home fires burning for
legislators"
Calls on Candidates
Questioned concerning this oy
Chairman Caraway. the league Off
cial said:
Most of our work on legislators
is not here, but bask home. The
influence of Washington is not
good. If the work is done right in
the primary back home, there isn't
much to do here"
Mcbride admitted that if legis-
Iator is inclined to wander" the
league calls on him. That is the
extent of the organizations lobby
Ing. he asserted.
Mcbride told the committee he
did not relieve any group should
control legislation or governments,
but believed the Anti-Saloon
league represented a majority of
the people, and he was in favor Of
: letting the people control.
Applaud BIaine's Remark
Senator Blaine CRep., Wis., asked
why the league did not participate
in the 1926 Illinois referendum and
/ other referenda.
p Its because your league fears
popular vote on this question, is it
not?" asked Blaine, the only wet
on the committee.
THAT is not true said Mcbride.
"WeIl, / assert it, insisted Blaine.
You can not speak for our
league" Mcbride said while the
crowd applauded.
THAT IS gratifying to me, be-
cause I would not want to be in
position where I would speak for
your organization, Blaine said.
The applause at this remark was
so prolonged Chairman Caraway
asked the audience to restrain itself.
Caraway Turns Sarcastic
Mcbride said he was very much
In favor of the Jones five and ten"
law. I'VE think it has worked very
we'll" he declared.
Did you write that bill?" asked
Caraway.
mo. We do not write bills
We'll you wrote the VolStead
act?'
Mo-
"who did2'
1.-THE house judiciary committee"
ooh. I was a member of that
committee then and it fell before
us ike mama from heaven. Do
YOU know who furnished it to us?"
said Caraway.
well. Representative Volstead in
troduced it. I believe" answered Nc
Bride.
He put his name on it, but he
was not very well acquainted with
it." commented Caraway.
nEH TnDO LEAD TAIH