Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-21
Views of Press and Public
Editorial Comment Divided
as Commission Members
on Prohibition Report.
BY the Associated Press.

New York Times: The fact OF out
standing interest in the entire report
is that of the IL commissioners are
Of one mind as to the one form of modi-
flcation that should be adopted, II any
Spokane Spokesman Review: The big
wet association against the prohibition
amendment and It's ally, the Modifica-
ton League, Inc, will find no cheer In
these declarations.
Los Angeles Times: While, in the
\ main, the document is strongly dry, 1t
has the appearance of an effort to COM
promise conflicting views which cannot.
in fact. be compromised and, as such,
will suit nobody.
! Raleigh IN. c. News and Observer:
The conclusions and recommendations
are in accord with the views Of those
who believe in the wisdom of national
prohibition.
New York Daily News: President
Hoover is now definitely drier than the
! crowd of intellectuals he picked to tell
him and the country that prohibition
is ok
indianapolis Star: The opinions of
the members (of the commission) are
indicative of what might be expected
from any group of intelligent and con-
scientious people selected at random
They are for law enforcement even If
the law is not 100 per cent satisfactory.
Boston Globe: The spectacle of a
hung jury whose IL members have sub
mitted IL verdicts. Chaos. confusion
and contradictions are everywhere in
evidence throughout this 80,000-word
| fruit of % months of difficult labor.
| Rochester IN. " Times Union: The
commissions group opinion is that the
country should stand by the eighteenth
amendment and seek to improve ma
tional prohibition enforcement under it.
Philadelphia Inquirer: While it ad-
vocates enforcement, it gives reasons
| why enforcement is next to impossible.
Cleveland Plain Dealer: Victory on
Capitol Hill goes to the drys on points.
Cincinnati Times Star: 1t Is unlikely
the report will materially change the
prohibition situation.
Atlanta Journal: If the report does
| nothing else 1t at least should serve to
remind fanatics in both camps that
theirs are not the only opinions which
can be held in high conscience and
good faith
Norfolk virginian- Pilot: The most
damaging blow against constitutional
prohibition that has been delivered by
any responsible body during the life
Kansas City Star: Settled nothing.
New Orleans Item: The report will
| doubtless prove a source of political
grief to Mr.. Hoover.
Little Rock (ArkanSasl Democrat:
Mr.. Hoover appointed the commission
as a political gesture and it has made
political report.
Atlanta Constitution: The mountain
has labored and produced a mouse
The chief significance of the report
is that its members are hopelessly
divided.
Helena Record Herald: The fact
complete harmony did not prevail in
the submission of the final report leaves
a strong doubt as to the value Of the
findings.
Baltimore Sun: Taking Che report as
whole, the public Is not very far
from the starting place. The COM
mission has told us facts that we al
ready know.
Denver Rocky Mountain News: The
flood of Wickersham reports simply
adds fuel TO the raging prohibition fire.
POnca City News; Those favoring
strict enforcement will find consider
able Solace.
Dallas Times-Herald: Decidedly dry.
Prohibitionists have room to be assured.
Duluth News Tribune: A majority
Of the commission agrees, as q ma
jority Of the people will agree, that
prohibition has failed.
San Francisco Chronicle: A perfect
picture Of the state Of the public mind.
Nebraska. State Journal, Lincoln:
Little comfort for the vets. The flnd-
ings are approved by public sentiment
that exists in all parts Of the country
to q great degree and which Is espe-
cially strong in the Midwest.
New York Sun: All in all, the report
Is rather sleaZy. Outside of the NIL
nority demands for appeal, the only con-
structiye thing In It is the plan for
revision of the amendment. This Pres
ident Hoover hastens to repudiate.
." II the country finds the Wicker
sham report disappointing. and we
think it will, 1t may be because the
commission has not stood far enough
away from it's subject to obtain the
right perspective. In neither the report
nor any of the separate reports is
asked or answered the question that
Dwight w Morrow put to the American
people last May: us it well that large
portions of our people should conceive
Of the Federal Government as an alien
and even a hostile power?"
That after all, Is the question which
will grow greater as the days pass.
Detroit News: First reactions to the
long-heralded report by the Law En-
forcement Commission are not slim
ulating. When among IL commission
ers all IL find it necessary to subjoin
individual reports, there cannot be
much confidence in what is submitted
by Chairman Wickersham as his own
and the Commission report"
Battle Creek (Mich.) Enquirer and
News: The report is more easily
| and quickly understandable for what
1t does not say and what it does not
recommend than for its specific recon-
mendations.
eral there are statements in the report
which will warm the hearts of the drys
and there are passages which will
please the vets, but neither will find
, the document conclusive.
Charleston, S. C., News and Courier:
The report means that national prohibi-
ton embodied in the eighteenth amend
| ment and enforcement acts is an
unsuccessful experiment whatever its
motive. The report is a staggering blow
to national prohibition.
Greensboro, n. C., Daily News: The
effect of the report, whatever its con-
sequences may be, Is much the same
! as If it read: I'VE, the jury, find our
selves unable to agree and ask to be
discharged"
winston Salem, N. c., Journal: The
report is another triumph for the cause
Of prohibition in the United States.
Norfolk, Va, Ledger Dispatch: In
stead OF aiding in the solution Of the
prohibition problem, the commission, as
| a whole, has further befuddled the sit
uation.