LIQUOR LAWS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 9 January 1925, Page 5

LIQUOR LAWS

SCANDALS IN AMERICA

POLICE INDICTED

GRAVE CHARGES

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION--COPYRIGHT

WASHINGTON. Jan. 7. The announcement that Judge Eloeit Gary, president of the United States Steel Corporation, heading a specia committee of prominent men will ' breakfast with President Coolidge tomorrow morning and discuss the question of law enforcement, especially prohibition, ' has brought to a. head the situation involving the Volstead Law, which during the past fortnight lias reached special prominence. This prominence was due to two incidents, namely, the suit brought b., Congressman Scott against his wife for n divorce, and a scandal involving Government officials at New Jersey in bootlegging arrests, leading to the removal of a United States District Attorney and the prospect of the removal of another. Witnesses testifying at the Scott

trial alleged that Congressmen in Washington were the greatest violators of the liquor laws, many of them bringing automobiles full of liquor to parties where gambling ‘and licentious practices were rife. Senators and Congressmen, commenting on this testimony, averred the truth of it, and stressed the fact that officials were the greatest offenders against the laws. Representative Upshaw declared that, although it is too late to have a Congressional investigation this session. which ends on March 4, such an inquiry should be held. Miss Robertson, the second woman elected to Congress, declared that she saw Congressmen intoxicated and rolling on the floor of the House. Newspaper correspondents . say Repersentatives have been arrested on intoxication charges, but matters have been hushed up. Judge Gary, commenting on the status of prohibition enforcement, declared that disobedience of the laws was so rife that fears for the country’s institutions. Mr. Wayne AYhee’e’of the Anti-Saloon League hn<; called for a strenuous campaign against liquor law offenders. The New Jersey scandal reached peculiar proportions when half of the police force in one city were indicted, hut were kept on duty, and during the election the police commissioner was re-elected, despite the indictment. charges were that rum-runners landed liquor under police protection. Senator Borah has telegraphed the Gary committee that the eighteenth amendment gave notice tp all the world that the United States would undertake the stupendous task of nutting an end to the liquor traffic. “We are entitled to have all other Governments respect this policy,” he added, “and to have them compel their nationals to respect it. It is quite within the power of the British Government to instantly put an end to the activities of such moral pirates as would cooperate with criminals in this'- country to violate the law and undermine and destroy the great national policy. It could at least drive them to cover, which would practically destroy the business as it is carried on. We are entitled .to ask the British Government not to permit her nationals to join an open conspiracy against our constitution and maintenance of the law.” Senator Borah pointed out that Britain herself took up just such an attitude when she protested against.the subversive influence of the Soviet propaganda typified in the ZinoviefF letter.