Indianapolis Times, Volume 41, Number 83, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 August 1929 — Page 6

PAGE 6

Congressmen Who Play in Hypocrite Roles Are Lashed Lawmakers Who Vote Dry and Drink Wet Create Scorn of Volstead Act, Declares Mrs. Willebrandt. <la this article, Mrs. Willebrandt Ukci up tht question of the wet-drinkinf. dry-voting congressman. She tells how bootleggers Infest the halls and corridors of congress end asks why it it that warrants can not be obtained to search government buildings and stop the liquor traffic there, why "freedom of the aort allows the passage of trunks which conceal rum barrels and assorted bottled liquor.) BY MABEL WALKER WILLEBRANDT. (Copyright, 1939 by Current News Features. All rights for publication reserved throughout the world, i I have been asked often “How can you have the heart to prosecute a bootlegger, send a man to jail for six months or a year for selling a pint or a quart of whisky, when you know that the men who make the laws and appropriate the money for prohibition themselves are patronizing bootleggers?” The only reply I can make to this is that I took my oath to enforce the law, and enforce it I must, to the best of my ability, regardless of my own disgust with the hypocrisy of personally wet politicians who vote dry. I have not lived in Washington all these years without becoming well acquainted with the fact that many congressmen and senators who vote for bills designed to aid prohibition enforcement are persistent violators of the Volstead law. Senators and representatives have appeared on the floor of the senate and house in a drunken condition. During the closing days of a recent session of congress one senator objected to and prevented the passage of important legislation while in such a condition of intoxication that he had to hold to his desk to keep himself upright. Colleagues argued with him. in an effort to persuade him to leave the chamber, but he refused. His condition was apparent to every member of the senate and to hundreds of people in the galleries.

I think that probably nothing has done more to disgust and alienate honest men and women who originally favored the prohibition amendment and its strict enforcement than the hypocrisy of the wetdrinking. dry-voting congressmen. Bootleggers infest the halls and corridors of congress and ply their trade there. It is not the duty of the department of justice to “make cases;” its duty is to prosecute cases in w’hich evidence has been gathered by the prohibition unit of the treasury department. Congress makes all the appropriations for evidence gathering to the treasury department. So I have had no agents working under my direction whom I could command to gather the evidence. But I have urged that the treasury department direct agents to investigate a case thoroughly, even though it may lead into the halls of congress, and if real evidence is found.

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I have guaranteed that the department of justice would prosecute the case just like any other, either by United States attorneys or men from my office. Why have no search warrants ever been issued to rout bootleggers in government buildings? I know of no reason in law to prevent searches and seizures for law violations in the capitol or in the house and senate office buildings. Asa matter of fact, it is my opinion, as a lawyer, that the constitutional immunity protecting a member of congress from arrest does not apply to criminal offenses committed by him, and that upon a proper showing of probable cause a warnnt may issue f or the search of the office of such member, either in the capitol or in the senate and house office building, and for the seizure of contraband articles found therein. I know one agent tried to secure such a search warrant, but it was advised that no warrants could issue to search any spot at the capitol. That is bad law and bad policy. I believe in using all legal steps for the enforcement of the prohibition law against members of congress and those who supply them with liquor to the same extent and with the same degree of diligence as against any private citizen and his source of illicit liquor. I believe

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so to enforce it would command respect. I have found, however, a curious impression or state of mind among members of congress and other government officials that they are above and beyond the inhibitions of the prohibition law. Their attitude would be amusing if it were not so tragic in its effect upon the great mass of people who abhor the hypocrisy manifested by dry-wet officials. There Is no legal foundation for extending “freedom of the port” or special privileges of that character to congressmen returning from abroad. Yet only within the last few months a congressman wrote to the undersecretary of the treasury requesting freedom of the port on his return to the United States, and the request was granted. Michaelson Case Cited The customs collector at the port of entry was told by his superiors in Washington to “extend the usual customs courtesies and free entry privilege” to the congressman. When Congressman Michaelson, another whose case brought “freedom of the port” into the public attention, landed from abroad he declared fourteen pieces of baggage. He was accompanied by four other people, one of whom declared three pieces of baggage and the other six. Although the congressman was granted free entry privileges without examination of his baggage at the time of landing, he was asked if he had any liquor, and he replied that he did not. Os the nine trunks brought in, three were checked to Washington and six to another destination from which they were rechecked to still another point. Before they were reshipped from the first terminal, however, they were searched and seized. One trunk contained nothing but a barrel of rum, the interior of the trunk having been cut so that the barrel rested neatly in a hole in the tray made for that purpose. One trunk, found empty, seemingly was likewise cut, evidently to accommodate a keg of the same size. No doubt a keg had been in this trunk, but had been stolen by someone en route. Bottle Gives Clew A third trunk contained wearing apparel, in which were packed twelve bottles of assorted liquors, and there was the remains of another bottle which had been broken. It was this broken bottle which attracted attention to the trunk and caused the seizure. A few days after the seizure, the congressman came to the offices of the head of the prohibition unit in Washington and demanded release of the trunks. The trunks were released, but the liquor was retained as evidence. The congressman was indicted, but recently received an acquittal from the jury in Florida. He denied knowledge that the trunks contained liquor. On the other hand, his brother-in-law, who had been a member of the party entering the port, testified that the trunks seized belonged to him and another member of the party, and not to the congressman. He refused, however, to answer questions which “might incriminate him.” He is awaiting trial. Jury Gives Its Views In another case involving a congressman entering the port of New York made a statement from which

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

jury of the southern district of New York made a statemen from which I cull the following: We regard it as un-American and contrary to the fundamental principle of equality before the law that any citizen, merely because he is a congressman or other official, should be exempted from inspection of baggage or from the operation of law or departmental regulations. while others who are merely part of the ! plain people are required to submit thereto. On the contrary, public officials should be the first to set the example of scrupulous acceptance and observance of the burdens of the law. While under the technical rules of the criminal law and in view of the non-examina-tion of the baggage following the grant of free entry, a criminal prosecution may not be possible in this case, nevertheless an official who prevented examination of baggage by claim of free entry and by threat of causing trouble in Washington can not complain of the consequences when weighed in the forum of public opinion. I think that every citizen whether wet or dry, will agree with that statement of principle. Until politicians are made to obey the laws which they enact, we can not expect respect for the law by those who are opposed not so much to prohibition as to hypocrisy. A common form of congressional relation, during which numerous legislators seem to regard themselves as beyond the inhibitions of the prohibition law are the so-called tropical junkets—trips of “inspection” to Panama, Porto Rico, Santo Domingo, Haiti, and other spheres over which this government exercises influence. Os course, it frequently is necessary that those who promote laws pertaining to our possessions should get first-hand impressions of the effect of such enactments and understand local island conditions. Unfortunately, however, the activities of some members of these committees of inspection always have not been confined to that work, and have left inhabitants of our possessions with impressions anything but favorable concerning respect for our laws, and the men who make them. How greatly disregard for our own legislators contrasts with the attitude of Sir Esme Howard, who, as ranking member of the diplomatic group, renders a sportsmanly respect that the law does not compel. (In her next installment Mrs. Willebrandt will discuss the curse of patronage.) FOUND DEAD IN CHAIR Night Watchman Taken by Heart Disease at Work. Herman Abram, 75, of 1131 English avenue, for two years night watchman at the McKinley wholesale vegetable and fruit store, 27 North Alabama street, was found dead in a chair when the store was opened early today. Coroner C. H. Keever said death was due to heart disease.

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COMMITTEE TO WORK ON PLAZA SHIFT Representative Group to Re Named to Settle Controversy. Selection of a representative committee to work out plans for removal of the First Baptist and Second Presbyterian churches from the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza was started today by Paul O. Richey, Chamber of Commerce president. The committee is to b? composed of three memoers each from the chamber directorate, war memorial board of trustees, Marion county board of commissioners, city council, Merchants’ Association, Board of Trade, Indianapolis Real Estate Board, American Legion, the two churches and other interested parties. Arrange Dedication Richey also was authorized to name a committee to arrange a formal dedication of the memorial plaza in 1933, the year of the Chicago cetneninal exposition. National patriotic organizations, such as the American Legion, will be asked to hold their conventions here that year. Foreign delegations attending the exposition will be invited. Unless action is taken soon in purchasing the churches, the chamber directors pointed out, the churches may remain on the plaza site until after 1933. Church officials are understood not to oppose plans to buy the property. State-Wide Enterprise Property on the plaza site between Michigan and North streets was purchased by the city, while the county purchased property between Michigan and Vermont streets except for sites of the two churches. When informed of the chamber’s

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WLW (700), CINCINNATI —Friday— P M. 4:oo—Tea Times tunes. 4:3o—Livestock report. 4:4o—Smith Ballew orchestra (NBC). s.oo—Memory tunes. s:lo—Sport sidelights. s:2s—Baseball scores. s:3o—Dixie circus series (NBC). 6:oo—Triadors (NBC). 6:3o—Gillette program (NBC'. 7:oo—Tht Interwoven Pair (NBC). 7:3o—Philco hour (NBC). 8:00 —Armstrong Quakers (NBC). B:3o—Woodwind ensemble. 9:oo—Henry Thies’ orchestra. 9:3o—Maytag Radioette. 10:00—Chime Reveries. 11:00—Hotel Gibson orchestra. 11:30—Sweet and low down. 12:00 —Sign off. WFBM (1230) (Indianapolis Power and Light Company) —Friday— P. M. 4:ls—Jim and Walt. 4:3o—Ambassador Hotel orchestra (CBS). s:oo—Twilight musicale. s:4s—lndianapolis safety council talk. 6:oo—Hawaiian Shadows (CBS). 6:3o—The Rollickers (CBS). 7:oo—Song stories. 7:ls—Columbia Club dinner ensemble. 7:3o—Studio hour. WKBF (1400) (Hoosier Athletic Club) —Friday— P. M. s:oo—Late news bulletins and sports. s:3o—Veterans of Foreign Wars. 6:3o—Dinner concert. 7:00 —Studio program. 8:00 —Indianapolis hour. 9:oo—Rose Tire Company. action, the three county commissioners, George Snider, president; John Shearer and Charles Sutton, declared the county has done its part and the church sites should be purchased by the state, since the memorial plaza is a state-wide enterprise. There are 7,000 miles of watermains in London.

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AMUSEMENTS

TAXPAYERS TO FIGHT BONDS FORSGHOOLS Association Secretary Says Board Will Use Condemned Plans. Declaring the entire school construction program is “highly unsatisfactory,” Harry Miesse, secretary of the Indiana Taxpayers’ Association, today declared he will fight the proposed $1,215,000 bond issue for the construction of the Irvington high school and four grade schools. “If the school board on Aug. 27

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adopts a resolution for this amounts of bond issues, we will appeal to tnafe state tax board,” he said. m “It is our understanding the sanH® plans and specifications will be used® despite the injunction of the tad board when it rejected the previous* bond issue, that the plans and specie* flcations must be so written thafl they will insure open and fair com-® petition and not limit things to few chosen companies such as C. C. Shipp, the ventilating manufacturer.. The proposed bond issues will be SBOO,OOO for the high school and $415,000 for additions to Schools 15 and 49 and new buildings at Schools 81 and 82. The former is an increase of $200,000 over the issue rejected by the tax board, while the latter is an increase of $20,000. . Hibernians Hold Picnic Members of the Ancient Order •'(l Hibernians in Marion county a+-| tended an all-day picnic at Broad! Ripple park Thursday. 1

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