New Britain herald., 1930-04-18
Letter Read to Lobby Committee From Wet Association Leader Says Observers Think President is Beginning to Change Attitude.
Curran Says Tide Swing ing Toward Repeal in Congress-Hasn't Lift ed Finger" Against En- forcement Bills Now Be- fore Houses

Washington, April Is GP-An ex- pression of belief by w. H. Stay- ton. chairman of the board of the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment, that President Hoover lis beginning to doubt whether pro- hibition can be enforced" was re- ceiyed today by the senate lobby committee.
 The opinion was contained in d. letter written last February by Stay ton. to Charles S. Wood, of Phila- delphia, vice president of the wet organization.
 Talks With Senators
 It said: My own feeling is. as I talk with senators, members of con- gress and public officials here, that Mr. Hoover is beginning to doubt whether prohibition can be en- forced
 It added that "Mr. Hoover wants to take plenty of time to consider it, but he is being abused little too much.'
 The Stayton letter was introduced into the Noluminous lobby commit tee record while Henry H. Curran, president Of the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment was testifying for the third day. Curran had said a while before that the tide is turning against prohibition in congress.
 Currar predicted that the Shep- pard bill to make the purchaser of liquor equally guilty with the seller and the Wickersham proposal to abolish trial by jury in contraven- ton of the bill of rights" would not be passed by the present congress.
 No Opposition 2 Years Ago
 Two years ago. he added ths Jones bill to increase penalties for prohibition violations passed with a whoop.'
 Senator Blaine, republican, Wis., consin, the only wet on the com- ,nittee asked Curran if his organiza- ton had taken any action on the prohibition bills now before con- gress.
 We haven't lifted fnger,y the witness replied.
 The letter by Stayton said Chair man Graham of the house judiciary committee, which has been holding prohibition hearings had urged him to ask W. ". Atterbury, republican national committeeman from Penn sylyania, and 8 wet, to testify be- fore the committee.
 T believe" the letter added, that if General Atterbury should take theSstand, 1t would cause a great many people to be more generous as to MT. Hoover's attitude.
 T think there are thousands Of people-and especially prominent people here-who would at once say that. if General Atterbury, with his strong convictions on this subject, is willing to wait for MT. Hoover s calm consideration, then the rest Of us ought equally to be willing to wait and I believe that real service would thereby be done to the republican party"
 Curran was not questioned con- corning the references to President Hoover in the Stayton letter.
 The letter from Stayton to Wood said in part:
 This is absolutely confidential.
 Asked Three Things
 Judge Graham. who is, I sup- pose, thinking not only of the wet and dry issue, but also of the repub- lican party, which he very dearly loves, has shown that these matters are so close to his heart that he has personally urged mo to do three | things:
 "1-To ask General Atterbury to come down and so to the stand for a few minutes on Wednesday or Thursday. Way will be made, for him instantly and he will not be de- 1 tained.
 "2-To put Judge Graham him. l self III LOuCn W1n MT. tlerTS buf fOHl in Florida. Mir. DuPont went there yesterday to stay until the 27th of this month, but Judge Graham is going to ask him to come back here and testify on the 18th or goth.
 "3-The judge is also going to reach Senator Wadsworth in Cuba l by phone and ask him to break UT his vacation and come back for the same purpose
 Wants Strong Argument
 q cannot ask you too strongly te impress upon General Atterbury that Judge Graham thinks the three above mentioned things of vast i'm. portance to the cause" | Questioned about newspaper which used publicity of his organi. zation, Curra named two in Mon' tana-the Butte Miner and The | Anaecnda Something"
 The Butte Miner went out oi