Evening star., 1933-07-02
VOLSTEAD. WORN, TIRED, FIRED
FROM JOB ON ACT HE FATHERED
Loses Post at 73 and Just
Wants to Go Away and
Be Left Alone.
Home State of Minnesota Re-
garded as Certain for Re-
pea! of Law.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ST PAUL, Mimi. July 1.-Andrew
j. Volstead. the man who spent 20 years
in Congress striving to be known as the
father of cooperative marketing and
by one years turn of fate became
known instead as the father Of prohi-
bition enforcement. Saturday walked
for keeps out Of the Northwest dry en-
forcement Offices and asked only to he
permitted to spend his remaining years
in private life.
Wan, thin and pale from several
years of i'll health. the former Repre-
sentative and author of the national
prohibition enforcement act which for
the duration of the noble experiment
has borne his name left his Office sadly
for he was being fired" from the force
his own act created. At the age of 70
Mr. Volstead. who has been legal ad-
wiser to the Northwest enforcement Of
flee since his defeat for Congress In
1923, was indefinitely furloughed"
along with 80 other agents and de-
tional prohibition enforcement re-
trenchment program.
Won't Discuss Prohibition.
Refusing to discuss prohibition, its
success or failures, It's future or its
past, the veteran dry legislator smiled
grimiy at efforts of interviewers, charged
the wet press" has distorted his re-
marks, refused offers to write a signed
story and announced that he will re-
turn to his cid home at Granite Falls
and keep quiet"
/ When. passing from the Federal Serv-
ice OF the symbol of 'VolsteadiSm" Min
nesota, long known as dry State, was
confidently regarded by the repealists
as certain to be in the wet column
when it elects its constitutional con-
Ventfon delegates September II.
Court action, in the form of a re-
straining order brought by State SEN
ator A. j. Rockne. veteran head Of t..
Senate Finance Committee. threatened
Friday to block negotiations of an
issue of $8,00O,000 Minnesota rural
credit bonds which were to be sold to
Lehman & Co. of New York.
State Issued Bonds.
The State government, in a move
supported by both Farmer-Labor Gov.
Floyd B. Olson and Republican State
officials, issued the bonds to refund a
similar amount of rural credit bonds,
maturing in the years up to 1910. The
Credit Board was forbidden by the last
money on farms, because of new Fed
eral farm credit facilities, which have
been provided. and a conservato- was
placed in charge of the S64 GGO, 900
State Agricultural Credit CORPORATION
to hquidate it.
Issuance of the new bonds, however,
would relieve the State of necessity
for levying taxes to retire the bonds
coming due in the near future. State
officials contended. Farther, the State
Investment Board agreed to sell the
bonds and utilize the money received
and held in trust to buy short-term le-
lief bonds Of counties and lnunicipali-
ties in Minnesota, which have been un-
able to sell their bonds on the open
market
The court action is regarded as likely
to hold up the entire deal until Fall.
Salaries Are Reduced.
Following the Federal policy of rigid
retrenchment in State salary expendi-
lures, the Minnesota State Commission
OF Administration and Finance, all-pow-
erful cabinet" to the Governor, Ini-
tiated as of July /. sweeping reduc-
ton of from to II per cent in sal
aries of all State employees drawing
more than $1,000 year. The reduc-
ton, althOugh meeting demands or the
last Legislature, that total State pay
rolls be cut 20 per cent. does net cut
the individual employe more than IL
per cent except in a few instances.
This has been accomplished by using
unexpended balances in departmental
funds.
Minnesota and Northwest police were
apparently at standstill as the week
drew to close in their search f0r the
bold kidnapers of William Hamm, jr.,
president of the States largest brew
cry bearing his name.
Federal State and st. Paul police
agencies had co-operated vainly for tine
gang of five who kidnaped The young
brewery president. in plain sight Of his
home and of 40 lunching workren.
and after hiding him in North woods
retreat for several days, extracted ray-
ment of 100000 ransom.