Evening star., 1930-06-02
BRITT MAKES DRIVE
ON DRY LAW FOES
Prohibition Counsel Quotes
Official Figures to Prove
Progress in Enforcement.

Replying to principal contentious Of
the vets. and predicting failure for at
tempts to modify or repeal the prohibi-
ton amendment or the Volstead act,
James j. Britt, general counsel Of the
Prohibition Bureau, from the pulpit Of
Calvary Baptist Church yesterday fired
a barrage of figures out of the official
files of the Government to show tire
mendous accomplishment" OF prohibi-
ton enforcement over the past 10 years.
Dwight Morrow, candidate for the
Senate from New Jersey; Representa-
tive James NJ Beck of Pennsylvania
and others were mentioned by name
as Judge Britt took up one wet" argu-
nent after the other in an attempt TO
prove it "fallacious."
Giving credit to allied agencies OF
the public service assisting in the en-
forcement of prohibition. Judge Britt
paid tribute to the Bureau OF Customs,
the Coast Guard and the Department
OF Justice.
"The vets say prohibition cannot be
enforced" declared Judge Britt. That
is not true. We have abundant evi-
dence to the contrary. In many Sec
tions. notably in the South and West,
we now have practically full enforce
ment. with large per cent OF enforce
ment everywhere. With only partial
State aid, q small Federal establish
ment has demonstrated beyond doubt
laws. The vets deny this. They seek
to becloud this by slandering the Pro-
hibition Bureau.
The average annual appropriations for
the prohibition unit and bureau, Judge
Britt said, has been $500 900, and the
annual average number OF field agents
1000. There have been but an average
of one agent to every 1000 square miles
of territory to police. Yet they have
achieved the following marvellous accom-
pliShmentS:
"They have made 602, 900 arrests for
violations of the prohibition laws.
"They have located and destroyed
ass, 900 Illicit distilleries.
They have seized and effected the
condemnation and destruction OF TO-
O00, 900 gallons Of unlawful liquors.
"They have seized and reported for
forfeiture $4,000 automobiles.
They have captured and secured the
forfeiture of 400 boats.
'They have seized and secured the
forfeiture of other properties for viola
ton of the prohibition laws in the
amount Of $160,000,000.
"They have discovered and reported
500,00 violations to district attorneys.
"Of these cases, 485,000 have been
brought to q termination, 38S, 900 con-
victions have been obtained, SCI, ,000,-
600 In fines have been imposed by the
courts, $4,000 years imprisonment have
been imposed, $1,000 Injunction cases
have been instituted, $4,000 permanent
intunctions have been obtained.
Taxes and penalties. forfeitures and
other civil liabilities arising from these
findings have been collected in the
amount of $52,000,00O.
Judge Britt paid tribute to Dwight
Morrow as an Ambassador and diplo-
mat, but declared that his arguments
on the prohibition question were full
Of "fallacies."
The proposal Of Representative Beck,
former solicitor of the Department of
Justice, to repeal the Volstead act,
Judge Britt declared, could not be done
because the language Of the eighteenth
makes such an act as the Volstead
law absolutely imperative"
The proposal of vets for beer and
light wines Judge Britt characterized as
"subversive" and impossible under the
present Constitution.