Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-20

mission that the Fedora! approrrta-
tons for CDIorcemc nt--if the law and
the amendment are to continue rs a.
preSent-Shnuld be substantially m
creased II is recommended also that
| improvements in the statutes and III the
organization, personnel ana equipmeEt.
OF enforcement should be made
Recommendation Made.
1t lists its recommendations here re-
ferred to as follows:
Il. Removal of the causes of irrita-
ton and resentment on the part of the
medical profession by:
"ta) Doing away with the statutory
fixing of the amount which may be pre-
scribed and the number of prescriptions:
'tb) Abolition of the requirement
of specifying the ailment for which
liquor is prescribed upon blank TO go
into the public files;
"tc) Leaving as much as possible to
regulations rather than fixing details by
statute.
-. Removal of the anomalous pro-
visions in section 90, national prohibit
| ton act, as to cider and fruit juices by
making some uniform provision for a
| fixed alcoholic content.
IS. Increase of the number of agents,
StorekeeperS-gauge prohibition inves-
tigators and special agents; increase In
the personnel of the Customs Bureau
and in the equipment of all enforce
ment organizations.
"a. Enactment of a statute authoriz-
ing regulations permitting access to the
premises and records of Wholesale and
retail dealers so as to make 1t possible
to trace products of specially denatured
alcohol to the ultimate consumer.
Recommends Codification.
IS Enactment of legislation to pro-
hibit independent denaturing plants.
&C. The commission is opposed to leg
iSlation allowing more latitude for Fed
eral searches and seizures.
~. The commission renews the rec
ommendation contained in its previous
reports for codiflcation of the national
prohibition act and the acts supple
mental to and in amendment thereof.
"a. The commission renews its rec
concentration of legislation for making
procedure in the so-called paddock In
! junction cases more effective.
80. The commission recommends leg
islstion providing mode of prosecuting
petty offenses in the Federal courts
and modifying the increased penalties
act of 1929, as set forth in the chair
mans letter to the Attorney General
dated May %, 1890"
| Although a majority of the commits
| sion are for change in the present dry
laws, they are divided as to just what
should be done. This has apparently
| presented the members of the commits
sion who wish another trial, although
only four in number an opportunity to
| give distinct dry complexion to the re-
port now submitted. A reading of the
summary or recommendations of the
commission would give an impression
at first that the commission did not be-
| lieve any change in the eighteenth
amendment and the existing laws. to
| liberalize them, was necessary. When
| the individual statements of the COM
missioners are read, however, very
different impression is obtained.
Wickersham Dryest.
| The statement made by the chair
man. George W. Wickersham. former
| Attorney General of the United States,
who at one time was looked upon as
not so dry, turns out to be really the
dryest-from the point of view of those
| prohibitionistS who favor a retention OF
the laws as they are or more strict
laws-of any of the statements Of the
| commissioners.
In the report signed by 10 members
OF the commission the point is made
that national prohibition got away to q
bad start. It says:
| III must De SAID tnaC enforcement OF
the national prohibition act made a
mad start which has affected enforce
ment ever SINCE
Reasons for this bad start are listed
as follows: The eighteenth amendment
was submitted and ratified during
great war, when the people readily
| yielded questions of personal right to
! strengthening the Government; the rati-
| fication of the amendment was given
| by Legislatures which were not in gen.
eral elected with any reference to this
subject the magnitude of the task was
(Continued on sixth Papel