Attorney-General, issued' a statement to-day in retaliation against Senator William E. Borah's attacks fon prohibition enforcement laxity.
He said: 3 cannot, for the honour of hundreds of devoted public servants, allow to pass without protest the wholesale charge' of indifference to prohibition enforcement which has been levelled against the United States Attorney-General, the United States Marshall and others in the Department of Justice."
Defending the "dry" officers, Mr.' Mitchell said:
"These men are generally known {in their own communities as men of integrity and courage, doing their best to enforce the law.
"There have been weak spots. We Jars working hard to eliminate them.
then Congress is ready to consider Jand to adopt legislation to carry out the Administration's recommenda tions for more te enforcement, machinery we shall be able to acthe complish more."
While a Congressional storm is forming around President Hoover's law enforcement commission, which iwas first organized in response to "dry" demands for better prohibition Jenforcement but which promptly enlarged its functions fo take in the entire subject of law enforcement, the United Press was informed to-/day that the commission is prepared to submit its preliminary report as requested by a recent resolution.
This indicates, it is believed, that prompt steps will be taker! toward tightening up on the whole law fenforcoment machine, with special reference to prohibition, The ery of "stand by the Press: ident" has nothing to do with this 3 issue, he said.
Te is to be presumed that naturals, ly the President desires effective pro hibition enforcement, concluded, Senator Borah, but "washing you hands with sightly soap won't bring efficient service." a Mr. George Wickersham, head of President Hoover's Law Enforces ment Commission, announced to-day, that the recommendations of the commission have now been completed and that they are now being prov pared with a view to bringing about Urgent law enforcement in th United States.
While Mr. Wickersham did not mention the. subject of prohibition specifically, it is known that the re commendations deal chiefly with, plans for reorganization of the pros hibition enforcement machinery and also the acceleration of judiciary, procedure in liquor eases, Administration support commendations, as recently dow manded in a Congressional resoluiy tion, will check the tide of criticism: that the administration has not adhered to its pledges of more rigids enforcement of the prohibition laws. United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.