Evening star., 1934-03-11
FEDERAL LIQUOR
AGENCIES MERGED
Order Places Political Ap-
pointees Under Civil
Service Standard.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page.)
Of fitness as the Civil Service Com
mission may prescribe.
The number involved is reported to
be about $50, although it was said
yesterday afternoon by E. E. Berney.
administrative assistant to John S.
Hurley, head of the dry unit. that
lone mans guess is as good as an
other"
He said "all lines had been taken
on" but the number added was less
than the number that has been let
out. Approximately 200 employees
were dropped last month. These lat
ice basis until August, when they were
transferred to the alcoholic beverage
unit. Division Of Investigation, the
status being changed at that time,
according to Hurley, because they
were entering a non-civil service unit.
1t was also rumored yesterday that
some salaries in these patronage jobs
were due for shading, once they
come under the Treasury, where Sec
retary Morgenthau has been a strong
advocate Of civil service, even using
the Civil Service Commissions regis
ters for temporary employment.
The new arrangement will create a
force of about 1900 to handle the
liquor problem.
Shortly after repeal became effec-
tive. more than 800 prohibition agents
were deputized by the Internal Reve-
nue. Bureau to assist in liquor tax en-
forcement, and this shift now be-
comes permanent under the Presi-
dents order. The Industrial Alcohol
Bureau has about the same number OF
agents engaged in collecting taxes
from legitimate producers. Treasury
officials said the transfer of former
prohibition agents will create an out
side enforcement crew or whisky de-
tective force" of about 875 which will
give special attention to the illicit
liquor trade, both as to taxation and
as to the dry State protection PROM
lsed by the twenty-f1rst amendment.
Cummings Keeps Force.
At the Justice Department it was
said that Attorney General Cum
mings would retain a force of about
30 men for administering the duties
left with him. These include the
power to institute prohibition suits
not affected by repeal and authority
over the remission of fines and pen
altieS under the old prohibition law.
Regulations under provisions OF the
prohibition act not rendered inopera-
tive by repeal will, however, be pre-
scribed by the commissioner OF in
ternal revenue. with approval Of the
Secretary Of the Treasury.
President Roosevelt's order, under
the law. would automatically become
effective in 60 days unless there was
adverse action by Congress. but he
urged a joint resolution making it
immediately effective because of the
obvious desirability OF accomplish
ing the proposed change at the earli-
est possible moment.
The need for such consolidation
at this time springs primarily from
the repeal of the eighteenth amend
ment," the Presidents message said.
The tax and enforcement agencies
Of the Government should be reor-
ganized in harmony with the changes
which have occurred in the laws re-
lating to manufacture. transportation
and sale Of intoxicating liquors.
The changes made by this order
will permit a more efficient admins
tration Of the internal revenue laws,
as we'll as the laws carrying out the
protective features Of the twenty-flrst
amendment"
To Avoid Abuses.
In throwing safeguards around the
new organization by insisting on civil
service appointees throughout, observ-
ers yesterday saw a determination on
the part of those who now will be
charged with the liquor problem to
avert abuses that sprung up in the
prohibition era. when jobs were on
the politica, block.
When enforcement was transferred
from Treasury to Justice and the
agents were put under civil service,
in 1927, only about SO per cent of
some 2,400 were able to get by the
examination and character tests. Ap-
proximately 600 agents were dropped
in August, when the bureau was
split up
The consolidation now proposed
was originally designed to 60 into
effect in August. but was held up
both because OF the work involved
and because prohibition repeal ap-
peared imminent, and it was Thought
best to defer action until the fate of
the repeal movement was determined.
At that time it was proposed to call
the new set-up the Division Of In
ternal Revenue" but it was under
stood yesterday that this tentative