Evening star., 1932-03-02
DRY LAWSSTUD|ED
/. FOR POLICE DRIVE
ON CAPITAL LIQUOR
Survey Made as GIassford
Asks More Men and
Wider Powers.
ENFORCEMENT FAILURE
DESCRIBED BY CHIEF
Less Than 300 Men Now on Streets
in Daytime-Bill to Increase
Authority Due in Senate.

Police officials here are making q
survey of the laws pertaining to manu-
facture, possession and sale of liquor
with view to bringing about more
rigid enforcement of prohibition.
Meanwhile, the police are "only
scratching the surface" in their efforts
to make the Capital dry, in the opinion
Of Brig. Gen. Pelham D. GlaSsford,
superintendent of the department He
said prohibition cannot be enforced
here unless the police force is enlarged
and given greater powers.
Calls for More Men.
Recommending changes in both the
method of making arrests in LIQUOR
cases and the procedure necessary to
present such cases in court, Gen. Glass
ford said the department needs more
men and less red tape"
Only about a score Of men are as
signed to prohibition work at present,
should be given authority to act as
Federal agents.
Although 1,340 policemen are allotted
the force under the law, only about
1890 now are on duty, Gen. Glassford
pointed out. and of this number less
than 300 are on the streets in the day
time.
Asked If the survey would result in
recommendations to the District Com
missioners for action on their part,
either with view to special legislation
or otherwise, the General replied that
he is undecided.
Wider Authority Asked.
He pointed out, however, that the
District code provides that the Com
nnicSinnorc through fhn Dn1ipa
intendent, shall assign an adequate
number Of men to enforcement work
The Howell bill, which would give all
members of the force equal authority as
endorsements officers, will 60 before the
Senate District Committee Friday.
The measure also would provide
greater latitude in the searching of
buildings in which policemen have rea-
son to believe the liquor laws are being
violated.
Debated In Committee.
Vigorous debate featured the regular
meeting Of the House District Com
nlittee today over the proposal for more
drastic dry law enforcement legislation
for the National Capital, such as Is pro-
posed in the Howell bill.
Mrs. Mary T. Norton of New Jersey,
chairman of the District Committee,
took charge Of the meeting after sew
eral weeks Of illness.
Representative Patman, Democrat, Of
Texas, referred to the statement Of
Glassford. He said that he was In
favor Of cooperating with the President
in the adoption Of legislation for more
drastic enforcement laws. In this he
was supported by Representative Beers.
Republican, Of Pennsylvania. The op-
position in a spirited debate that fol-
lowed was led by Mrs. Norton, Repre-
sentative Black, Democrat, of New York,
and Representative Palmisano Of Mary
land.
Prohibition Held Farce.
Representative Black asked Mrs.
Norton if there was any bill providing
for such drastic dry enforcement in
the District pending before the COM
mittee and she replied that there was
not and that she sincerely hoped there
never will be.
Representative Palmisano said that
prohibition never could be enforced in
the National Capital or anywhere else
and that prohibition enforcement leg
islation is a farce. He protested that
more drastic laws should not be sad
died on the people Of the District OF
Columbia.
The committee ordered a favorable
report on the bill which would permit
of pay patients to the contagious dis
ease ward in Gallinger Hospital.
Representative Bowman. Republican,
Of West Virginia suggested that the
committee owes it to the residents OF
the District to make a survey Of the
District welfare institutions, including
schools, Gallinger Hospital, the work
house, reformatory, Jail and so forth.
The committee agreed, and such
survey will be made when they have
time