Politer Enforcement

Two weeks still pended before Seymour W. Lowman, onetime Lieutenant Governor of New York, was to replace Brigadier General Lincoln C. Andrews, as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in Charge of Prohibition Enforcement. But Assistant Secretary Andrews was away from his office on a vacation and would not be back before Aug. 1, the transition date, except "to clean up his affairs." Assistant Secretary Lowman was already and practically in charge. The new Commissioner of Prohibition, Dr. James M. Doran, was also ready to function. So last week seemed propitious for calling the district prohibition administrators to Washington for conference and instruction.

Over the heads of those functionaries to the ears of the waiting republic went the messages of the new prohibition chiefs. Commissioner Doran: "We want no lawless law enforcement." Assistant Secretary Lowman: "There are to be no vital changes in enforcement regulations. . . . We are going to cut out catching people by technicalities in the law. . . . Enforcement must be sensible and upright." It was all in the vernacular. A politer enforcement hangs fire.