Meaning Business

That there is new blood in the federal prohibition enforcement staff has been evident in the past few weeks The new blood is undeniably General Lincoln C. Andrews, new Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (TIME, Apr. 6).

The first important work undertaken since he came to office was improvement in the blockade against rum runners.

As a result the rum row along the Atlantic Coast has been largely broken up. Illegal importations by sea have become more and more sporadic, less and less successful.

The second step was made known last week. Secretary Mellon announced a new plan of internal enforcement organization--a plan drawn up by Mr. Andrews and to be undertaken with the "unqualified approval" of President Coolidge and himself. It provides :

1) Abolition of the state enforcement directors (receiving salaries from $3,000 to $5,000) supervised by three regional directors and the substitution of 24 Prohibition Administrators with salaries up to $10,000 each (Mr. Andrews and Prohibition Commissioner Roy Asa Haynes each receive only $7,500).

2) In this decentralized system each Administrator is to have charge of one district, which is coextensive with one of the 22 Federal Judicial districts or Hawaii, or Porto Rico. Under him will be a First Assistant in charge of "permissive" work with chemists and pharmacists, and a Second Assistant in charge of enforcement work with trained investigators and detectives. A legal advisor will also be attached to each district. The aim: "economy and efficiency . .. . a smaller personnel with higher qualifications

3) Federal activities will be largely confined to the major sources of bootleg liquor-- ignooring minor Violations, to stop the sources of supply; "importation, diversion of legitimately manufactured alcohol, illigitimate manufacture and transportation of alcohol and alcoholic beverages ... the bootleg industry. . . .

4) "The Headquarters in Washington will largerly one for supervision to secure uniformity of policy. . . Its functions will be conducted under the same officers as at present, but their duties will be less administrative and more supervisory." This is taken to mean that Roy Asa Haynes will become even more of a figurehead than he has been and that General Andrews will be in virtual charge.

5) Appointments under the new system will be on a merit basis (although not a part of the "civil service") "and politics be damned."

6) Beginning August 1, the new plan will gradually be put into effect. merit Appointments basis under the (although new not a part system of the "civil service") and poll ^Beginning August 1, the new plan will gradually be put into effect.