\Contivued a from Page 4)
He
ce, than it was before. has
tions for all kinds of crime during the
st ‘six months!
rous enforcement of this provision
he Constitution.”
Smith’s platform called for “an
ce, as he believes, with a clear
date from the people of the United
tat ‘to enforce the Eighteenth
endment and the laws adopted by
ongress thereunder, and what is
nore, he considers the most irhportant
ssue before the Armerican people is
e reduction of criminality and dis-
edience to laws of all kinds—and
1 ohibition is’ not the only crime in
TOBTESS.
How important he regards it is
sily deduced from the emphasis
which he laid upon it in his inaugural
dress and in his first regular mes-
e to Congress. |
I am going to uote here from the
resident's public utterances, em-
hasis the point that he still holds the
ame views.
“I have been elected to enforce and
execute the laws of the country.” Mr.
But he recognized there that the) pro-|
hibition law. can be enforced only with
the cooperation of the public. “The
measure of success that the Govern-
ment shall attain,” he said, “will de-
pend upon the.moral support Which
you, a s citizens, extend.”
Duty of Citizens
“The duty of citizens to support the
laws of the land is coequal with the
‘duty of their Government to enforce
the laws which exist. For our citizens
to patronize the violation of a par-
ticular law on the ground that they
are opposed, to it is destructive of the
very basis of all that protection of
life, of homes and property which
they rightly claim under other laws,”
he said on March 4, 1929: “If citizens
do not like a law, their duty as honest
men and women is to discourage its
violation; their right is openly to
work for its repeal. Our whole sys-
tem of self-government will crumble
if officials elect what laws they will
enforce or citizens elect ‘what laws
they will support.” :
About all a President can do with
the citizens of the country as a whole
is to point out that they have an ob-
ligation to obey the laws as long as
these laws are laws. But his acive
efforts at enforcement of the law are
aimed at the professional lawbreakers.
“To those of criminal mind,” he
said at the same time, “there can be
no appeal but vigorous enforcement
of the law.”
Well, what is President Hoover do-
ing or trying to do to, with or about
“those of criminal mind” in the mat-
ter of prohibition enforcement?
over said in his inaugural address.
Gets Facts First
(
x3
a Woobert's Markets
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
SPECIALS ;
FANCY CHUCK ROAST
25¢ A IB.
| LEGS OF LAMB,
: Extra Fancy, Pound .
PORK LOIN,
: Half or Whole, per Pound 0
BUTTER,
j Fancy Tub, 3 Pounds
EVERY DAY MILK,
Tall Can, Dozen Cans
STRICTLY FRESH EGGS,
: 3 Dozen For
Phone your orders to Dallas 343 for Fancy Dressed Chickens,
Country Dressed Veal and Morrell's Pride Hams for Easter
| trol and coastal
He tackled this problem in the wa
in which he tackles every administra-
tive problem. “First, get the facts.”
The way to get facts is to engage
experts in that particular kind of facts
to dig them out.- One of Mr. Hoover's
first acts as President was to appoint
a commission, headed by George W.
‘Wickersham, to investigate and report
upon the whole problem of enforce.
ment.
In the megntivhe, he turned his at-
tention to the Personnel of the Federal
Prohibition Enforcement Unit.
‘One of the greatest obstacles to ef-
ficient enforcement has been the char-
acter of the men, or many of them,
originally engaged to enforce the law.
In the first few years of Prohibition
the term “prohibition agent” became
almost a synonym for dishonesty and
corruption. The temptation to con.
nive at violations of the law was toc
great for many of them to withstand.
And many got themselves appointed
because they wanted the opportunity
to sell out the Government to the
illicit liquor interests. '
Politics Hinders
So long as appointments to the Pro-
hibition and other law ‘enforcement
forces were made under political
this state of things was bound to get
worse instead of better. Congress
had, after nearly nine years of the old
system, authorized the Executive to
pick the enforcement personnel in the
same way other Government employees
are chosen, by examination as to fit-
ness and character.
Mr. Hoover believes that this is
already resulting in improvement in
the efficiency of the Prohibition
forces, and the work is proceeding
rapidly in improving the service.
That process is going on, and men
of a high, standard of character,
age and a sense Of duty are replacing
the irresponsible ones.
cour-
pressure and without regard to fitness, |
regards as the second imporfant new
tool in his hands for more efficient en-
forcement, has been agreed upon by
the House of Representatives but not,
as I write this, by the Senate. How-
So long as bootleggers, narcotic sellers
and automobile thieves can be sure of
a vear or two vears before they come
to trial they are willing to take a
chance.
The fourth line of criminal law en-
forcement, as the President sees it, is
reform in the methods of procedure in
the Federal Courts. This has heen
strongly urged by the Commission on
Law Enforcement. :
As matters stand today, there are
something like 80,000 cases of viola-
tions of Federal criminal laws brought
before the Federal courts each year, of
which only 10,000 or so go to final
trial. - The rest of the prisoners plead
guilty and are fined $100 or some other
sum. This amounts, in effect, to a
licensing system for bootleggers and
thieves.
The reason for this is that the Fed
eral courts have to handle all Prohibi-
tion cases and all other crimes by the
processes’ of indictment by a Federal
grand jury and a trial by a district
judge before a petty jury. In state
court systems there, are magistrates
before whom minor violations of lav
are tried, usually without a jury. The
right of any prisoner to a jury trial
is not denied, but the great majority
of cases for which men are sent to
prison for terms under a year,
tried in these minor courts.
The President's Commission on Law
Enforcement has recommended, and
the President has approved and re-
quested Congress to authorize the set-
ting up of similar system for handling
Prohibition cases, and the grading of
offenses under the Prohibition and
other criminal As the law
stands now almost any violation of the
are
laws.
Prohibition enforcement has been i
function of the Treasury Department |
ever, there seems little doubt that it
4 will shortly have been made law by
the action of both houses. 8
Then, Mr. thinks, he will,
have a more efficient enforcement ma- i
Hoover
chine, under better control, than he |
has had up to now. !
For a third line of control, the
President is urging upon Congress the |
consolidation of all of the border pa |
protective services
into one. There are five different units
now engaged in protecting The bhor-
ders of the United States against the
entry of smuggled goods. They are)
the Customs Service, the Immigratio:
Service, ‘the Coast Guard, the Prohi-!
bition Unit and the Uarcotics squad. |
a fine assortment of Chocolates
man’s Chocolates a specialty.
THE REXALL STORE
LETTUCE, 4 Heads
ASPARAGUS, bunch
TOMATOES, pound
NEW CABBAGE ...........
CARROTS, 3 Bunches .....
SPINACH, 3 Pounds .......
PARSNIPS, 2 Pounds ......
MAIN STREET
EASTER CANDY
An unsually attractive assortment of high-grade Easter Candy
for the kiddies as well as the grown ups.
Easter Chocolate Eggs, fruit, nut and cocoanut filled. Also
Delicious Jumbo Beans
19¢ Per Pound
EVANS’ PHARMACY
ee
WEEK-END SPECIALS
RADISHES, 3 Bunches ........
CAULIFLOWER, FRESH PEAS—ALL GREEN GOODS
EVERGREEN MARKET
' chiefs, with different methods.
2 | authority
Whit-
in attractive Easter boxes.
SHAVERTOWN, PA.
BEEBE 53
FBEBRIREEIR
..15¢
ss ss sss esses ses
DALLAS
| tion and not a man of one of them]
| willingly does anything to help the |
i would guard the Canadian and Mexi-
: |'the borders can be checked down (Lo
| had laws against smuggling for a hun-
dred years and more and still smug-
| gling goes on.
3% | but stil some illicit merchandise gets |
| criminal law will ever be fully en-|
| the way
| his arm in the matter
| torces on the borders.
Each of these has its separate func-
others. They operate under different |
Consolidated Forces
All of these, the president believes, |
should bg consolidated into a single |
Coast Guard border patrol, which'|
can borders as well as the sea coast.
He has asked Congress to authorize |
this. What Congress will do is still |
uncertain. If the President gets the |
he seeks, he feels confident |
that the flow of imported liquor over |
nr ee EEE
3
He has no illusion that it
‘We have]
a trickle.
can be stopped altogether.
England has tried for
a thousand years to stop smuggling. |
|
|
|
|
|
past revenue officers.
“It is not to be expected that ih
forced so long as criminals exist,” is |
Mr. Hoover phrased it.
And if Congress does not strengthen
of protecting |
the borders, he will go ahead and do |
| the best he can do with the existing
Wants Quick Court Trials
The next line of attack is his state-
ment that there is no hope of real en-
forcement of the criminal laws—and
thére are many besides prohibition—
unless Congress will do something to
lessen the congestion in the courts.
ever since the Volstead Act was |
passed. That was done in the first in-
stance because there was already in
the Treasury the nucleus of a force
skilled in hunting down illicit liquor
for taxation purposes. In the old days
the eFderal Government rid not con-
cern itself with those who made or
sold liquor, or where or when it was
sold. Tt was concerned only with see-
ing that every gallon paid its tax, that
every dealer paid his Federal license
tax.
Tax collecting was a proper func-
tion of the Treasury; but the enforce-
ment of Prohibition never was. Presi-
dent Hoover urged strongly upon Con-
gress this request for authority to
transfer this phase of law enforcement |
to the Department of Justice, which
is the proper place for it. Most other
criminal statutes of great importance
+{ come under the jurisdiction of the At-
torney General, who has a better ma-
chine for handling crime than the
2 RR ET a LIL a EEE ne
Treasury has or should have.
Prohibition law is a felony, except
casual or slight violations. With
EER ECIRIGRG aE 3
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Th :
Xx
e
.
Spanier Shoppe :
By
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This transfer, which the President
‘casual or slight violations” defined
and the prisoner being willing tn
waive a jury and.the district attorney
willing for him to plead to a minor
offense he can be tried without a
grand jury indictment, by a method
corresponding to trial in magistrates’
courts in other cases, and with puu-
ishment in such cases limited by law
to a moderate fine or a short term of
imprisonment. The prompt punish-
ment of offenses against the Prohibi-
tion and other criminal laws could be
assured, the President believes, and
respect for the law impressed upon
the criminal classes by the only means
which they can understand.
Editor's Note: This is the
second of a series of five articles
by Mr. Stockbridge based upon
conversation w i t h President
Hoover. Last week we published
“Government by Facts.” Next
week, “Farm Relief.” ?
— 0)
TELLS OF ARMY LIFE
Mount Greenwood Kiwanis Club
held a regular weekly meeting on
Wednesday evening at the Colonial
tea room in Fernbrook. President
Wiilliam Jeter presided and introduced
Captain Leland Scraggs of Trucks-
ville* as the speaker of the evening.
Captain Scraggs, who is a veteran
of Ponty years of army life, enter-
tained the club with numerous epi-
sodes of army life.
Greetings were extended to Rev. H.
verted to their charges tor another i
year by the recent M. E. conference.
Ed. Guernsey was welcomed back
after spending the winter in Florida.
New members admitted recently are
Paul Nulton of Noxen and Alpord
Smythe of Dallas.
‘BIG DISPLAY OF
EASTER
CANDIES
CHOCOLATE EGGS, ETC.
Jelly Beans
15¢ Pound
The Thrift Store
82 MAIN STREET
LUZERNE
F. Henry of Shavertown and Rev. W.
Eg
SRE EO EE BOB ES RE
37
Ly MAIN STREET
BE
BOYS’ WASH SUITS
50c to $1.45
Thrifty mothers will want to buy three or four of
these Smart New Boys’ Wash Suits when they see
and feel the quality of the materials used. And for
Se to $1.00
Strongly made, in a wide assortment of styles.
Come early before our stock is depleted.
THE THRIFT STORE
5c, 10c, 25¢ ANDI UP
B33)
Be
> Wash Dresses
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=
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BR BB BB BE BB ee re oe a a BB Be Be Be BB Be Be BE ep BB ea)
0 5 Ms
1%
Rae pRB EB
VSO
{
Bg
Easter
Is Just
Around the
BABB
Corner
And = |
NEW COATS, DRESSES,
FOOTWEAR AND x |
HOSIERY |
ARE IN ORDER
Faultless
Hosiery
Sheer and Service Weight
21.15
All Colors
EE
EBB Bel
3
Spring Coats
Sport and dress models. Prin-
cess lines in a variety of beauti-
*12.95
Week-End
Special
DRESSES
Printed Chiffon, Georgettes and
Flat Crepes.
This is a Week-End Special Only
$7.95
Footwear
Casings Casi
wide variety to select from.
Made by well known manufac-
turers. Novelty colors, greens,
blues, greys, pastel shades.
$4 ww $5
SEC ER RI BB ee eee
EE RE eR BE Ee Fe BB REI)
3
69 MAIN STREET
Luzerne, Pa.
Open evenings until 9
opecial
JB
J.
JK
Jax
UBVBUBUBUE SS
DS
BUD
So
| PLOWS,
NOW
LAINIAINONININININ NIN ESN INN AON
JTC
JONG GVO
T
NOW
NOW
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FUIVEVBUEUEUBUIVTOT
LAN
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SHOPWORN
FARM IMPLEMENTS
| TRACTOR PLOWS, Regular Price $115.00;
{ HORSE PLOWS, Regular Price $29.00;
0 PULVERIZERS, Regular Price $61.00;
' RIDING CULTIVATORS, Regular Price $82.00;
RIDING CULTIVATORS, Regular Price $67. 00;
Sale of
$29.00 °
$59.00
$20.00
$49.00
$45.00
$25.00
. $49.00
$25.00
$75.00
KINGSTON CORNERS
Repairs For Farm Tools Always On Hand a 1 |
Meyers Spray Pumps
Seeds—Fertilizers—Spraying Material
A.J.Roat Supply
ny