AMERICA’S PROBLEM

Hawera Star, 13 January 1930, Page 5

AMERICA’S PROBLEM

PROHIBITION ENFORCEMENT OVEE 80,000 ARRESTS STAGGERING FOCAL POINTS. (United Press Association— By Electric Telegrupi. Copyright.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 11. The Prohibition Law Enforcement Commission’s dehnit© report, transmitted to Congress by Mr. Hoover, emphasised in its preamble the difficulties of prohibition enforcement. “It is impossible wholly to set off the observance of prohibition from the large question oi the views and habits of the American people with respect to private judgment as to the statutes and regulations affecting their conduct,” says the report. “One must, to reach conclusions of any value, go into deep questions of public opinion and criminal law. We must look into the several factors; the attitude of the people, both generally and in particular localities, towards the laws in general and specific regulations. We must bear in mind the Puritans’ objections to administrative laws. A\e must not forget the many historical examples of large-scale disregard of the laws in our past-” The report says that no reliable figures are available to show the extent of the enforcement of prohibition, The arrest of over 80,000 persons under the Prohibition Act, 1929, indicates “the staggering number of focal points of infection.” The report mentions the difficulties in protecting a 3799 miles land border, 300 miles of frontage on the Great Lakes, and 12,000 miles of sea. border. The small Federal personnel is inadequate to cope with the huge problem. The commission suggcists the transier of prohibition enforcement from the Treasury Department to the Department of Justice and numerous steps for the codification of laws and ods of handling minor cases. It opposes the creation of. new judges or courts to handle prohibition.

FANATICAL DEMAGOGUES ATTACK IN CONGRESS. WASHINGTON, Jan. 10. Mr. Schafor, in a remar sable speech in* tlie House of Representatives attacking prohibition, said: “it tue Divine Christ were to appear on eartn to-day and attend a wedding least m the nation’s capitoi in these days ox prohibition and again perform the miracle of transforming water into wine, some fanatical prohibition demagogue from a State where the tall com crows and the strong booze nows, clotnnig himself in robes of righteousness would no doubt appear before the grand iurv and demand that the Saviour be indicted on no other evidence than a keen sense of smell and laboratory experience.”

uEALI N G W J.TM fRi MK. r ACiLITJ.ES GY EavTaXEl). WASHINGTON, Jan- lb'.. President Hoover’s Crime Commission lias made a preliminary statement showing that the Government’s law enforcement machinery is unquestionably inadequate, and that the pressure oi the prohibition, automobile tliext, white slave traffic, immigration and other criminal laws had overtaxed its capacity. LEAGUE COMMISSION. GENEVA, Jan. 12. The Economic Commission of the League of Nations lias decided to appoint a commission to investigate liquor smuggling in all parts of the world.