Evening star., 1932-03-05
Author Informs Committee He
Is Not Insisting on Favor
able Recommendation.
CHIEFLY WANTS MEASURE
PUT ON SENATE CALENDAR
Legislation to Be Considered Again
Tuesday-Lack of Quorum
Prevents Vote.

senate without a recommendation
rom the committee.
This appeared the probable course
t action following meeting OF the
ommittee yesterday afternoon, at
.hich Senator Howell, Republican, OF
TebraSka, author of the measure, IN
ormed the committee he would not
SIX for a favorable report if he could E
ave the bill placed on the Senate A
alendar. This would pave the way a
,r the Senate itself to decide whether t
he measure should be taken up and c.
oted on. The bill was partially con- n
idered in the Senate last year, but p
id not reach final vote. h
Quorum Lacking. ~
The District Committee was sched- O
led to reach a decision on the measure 81
and Senator Blaine, Repub- 81
can, of Wisconsin, an opponent OF te
he bill, had made a motion that b
ote be taken of the members present -
nd that Chairman Capper be author .
,ed to poll the absentees. when it was 4
oted that q quorum was not present.
enator Blaine said that m view Of the
Nportance of the question he thought
We should be a Quorum, and he
Irew his motion.
Sehdo not ask a favorable report"
it b Howell said. "All ask is that
Senaced on the calendar"
land, A,Tydings, Democrat, Of Mary
he wouher opponent of the bill, said
he was wte against it, but indicated 4
other Senay to have it considered so ,
When thAmay vote on it also.
terday, Chaihpmittee convened yes
in which PQlh Capper read letter
that enactmentVpt. Glassford wrote
sist materially 1.-The bill would "as-
the prohibition Lave enforcement of
Columbia, but wouhQ the District of
if the penalties weh more effective
However, in an creased"
panying the GlassfoNbit accom- U
lining present enforcemaetter out d
it was stated that crime machinery, a
this city (other than violations in S
prohibition law do not warn of the
time an assignment of largeat this e
of police officers on prohibiumber a
forcement activities en- t
One of the objects of the Howe
is to clothe all members of the MGl i
politan Police Force with the necess. v
authority to aid in prohibition enford r
ment. In his report to the commits
tee, Gen. Glassford stated that 38
members of his department now have
prohibition authority.
Bride Objections Followed.
He explained in a footnote that by
prohibition authority" is meant the
power to serve search warrants, adding
that all members of the force "are
now empowered to enforce the prohibi-
tion laws" The police chief also advo-
Gated heavier penalties.
After stating that the features OBJ
jected to by Corporation Counsel Bride
when the bill was up in 1880 have
been eliminated or modified, Gen. Glass
ford wrote as follows:
IT have no comments or suggestions
to make to the bill as it now stands,
except that it is believed that the en-
actment Of this bill into law will assist
materially in the enforcement of the
prohibition laws in the District of Co
lumbia. but would be more effective
were the penalties increased"
The report accompanying Glassfords
letter stated further:
Our records show that on this date
there are 401 locations where it is
known or suspected that liquor is sold
These known and suspected establish
ments cannot be raided unless a police
of11cer or informer is able to enter and
actually make purchase. 1t is very
difficult for any one who is not a
regular and known patron of these es-
adjustments to make a purchase
In addition to the 38 policemen
designated for prohibition enforcement,
the report showed the department has
10 informers paid by the Prohibition
Bureau TO assist in getting evidence.
The department has two automobiles,
both more than four years old, for pur-
suing transporters of liquor.
. Would Broaden Searches.
The section of the bill relating to
search warrants for dwellings, which
has created most of the discussion on
the bill, would permit search warrants
for dwellings used for the unlawful
sale, manufacture for sale, or storage
for sale"
After a brief discussion of the bill.
In which attention was called to the
objection made by the Attorney General
to extending the search warrant au-
thority in the case of private dwellings,
the committee was asked by Chairman
Capper what course it wished to follow.
Senator Blaine then made his mo-
tion that a vote be taken of the
members present and that the chair
man be authorized to poll absentees
on the question of whether the
bill should be reported. At this point
1t was noted that there was not a quo
rum present, whereupon Senator Blaine
withdrew his motion and suggested
there should be another meeting when
more members could attend.
Borah Amendment Voted.
Explaining his bill, Senator Howell
said that In the Senate last year the
search warrant section was modified by
adoption OF the Borah amendment.
providing for a warrant for dwellings
only when used for unlawful sale,
manufacture for sale, or storage for
sale, OF Intoxicating liquor.
The Senator said that at the 1880
hearings the Attorney Generals repre-
sentative did not contend the new
search warrant power was unnecessary.
but that it would be inexpedient to
enact it. Chairman Capper also filed
at yesterdays meeting new letter
from Assistant Attorney General Young
quSt, suggesting clarification Of section
dealing with the disposition of seized
automobiles, in addition to the changes
proposed two years ago.
Senator Gore, Democrat, of Okla
homa, asked If he was correct in un-
derstanding that the Howell bill would
be in addition to the Volstead law In
Washington. Senator Howell affirmed
this view, explaining the District had
ats local Sheppard prohibition law IN
a917, but that officials hold the Shep-
pard law was, in large part, repealed
by implication when the Volstesd law
was enacted.
Senator King, Democrat, of Utah,
said he wondered If that conclusion is
justified, and Senator Glenn, Republi-
can, OF Illinois, declared the Volstead
law was not regarded as having repealed
State liquor laws.
Chairman Capper said he had not re-
ceiped report on the bill from the Dis
trtct Commissioners, but that they had
sent up a memorandum prepared by
Corporation Counsel Bride, approving
one sections and suggesting changes
IN 1qehess.