Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25

and DR.. H. Sverdrup, who will head the
scientific staff. Possibly the redoubted
Lincoln Ellsworth will be of the party,
which will include six scientists and
IL expert submarine sailors, most of
whom have had experience in our Navy
Already Sir Hubert looks forward to a
similar venture in the Antarctic.
UNITED STATES-On January 10,
about 20 months after its appointment,
the Law Enforcement Commission.
headed by Mr.. Wickersham. submitted
to President Hoover document of some
10000 words, conveying the results of
its study Of the prohibition question
The President at once transmitted it to
the Congress and it has been published.
The commission is now addressing itself
to other aspects of its problem.
Presumably, all are familiar, through
the press copies or digestS, with the
substance Of the report, and I shall
content myself with noting the follow
ing features: Two of the IL commits
sioners (namely. Newton D. Baker
and Monte M. Lemann), are for out
right repeal of the eighteenth amend
ment, Mr.. Lemann refusing to sign
the report; five are for revision of
the amendment 50 as to authorize
Congress to determine whether or no
there shall be legalized sale of intoxi-
eating beverages; four, including the
chairman, are for continuance in force
OF the amendment without change,
though two of this group indicate that
should further trial with better en-
forcement methods prove unsatisfactory,
they would favor amendment; all the
signers are opposed to restoration in
any manner of the legalized saloon;
all the Signers are of opinion that
there is not yet an adequate OBJ
Servance of prohibition or enforce
ment" and that 1.-The present organi-
cation for enforcement is still in
adequate"
Apparently Mr.. Baker, though favor
support modification of the amend
ment. Apparently several of the COM
missioners have in favorable view
formation of a national corporation
TO sell liquor under Government regu-
lation, modified form of the Swedish
system"
Interesting is the apparent agree
ment of the signerS that the existing
liquor legislation should be modified
SO as to remove the causes of irrita-
ton and resentment on the part of the
medical profession; physicians to be
no longer restricted in respect of the
amount OF liquor they may prescribe
and no longer be required to specify
the ailment for which liquor is pre-
Scribed.
The Presidents attitude is made clear
by the following paragraph of his
message transmitting the report to
Congress:
II see serious objections to, and
therefore must not be understood as
recommending, the commissions pro-
n0Spd revision nf he ior,
amendment which is suggested by them
Tor possible consideration at some
future time If the continued effort at
enforcement should not prove success
ful My own duty and that of all
executive officials is clear-to enforce
the law with all the means at our
disposal without equivocation or res
ervation."
January II was the two hundred and
tWenty-fifth anniversary of the birth of
Benjamin Franklin, whom the French
in general and some others regard as
the greatest American.
X X X X
LEAGUE OF NATIONS.-The League
OF Nations Commission, including repre-
sentatives of twenty-seven European
governments, appointed to consider
Brands project of European federation
or at any rate close cooperation, which
met at Geneva on January 16, began
with brisk debate of a motion by Dr.
Julius Curtius, the German foreign
minister, that Russia and Turkey be
invited to "sit in" though not members
of the League. The matter was after
an entire days palaver referred to a
subcommittee. Then the commission
addressed itself to the hIdeous economic
situation, and discussed tariffs, the APP
plication of the Balto-Balkan group
of countries for preferential rates for
their agriculture from the industrial
countries of Europe; this and that.
With respect to tariffs Mr.. Arthur
Henderson, the British foreign minister,