"Preposterous!"

"Politics! Dirty politics!" cried the Democratic politicians of Manhattan when 18 liquorous Manhattan night clubs were Federally raided at the very moment Governor Smith of New York was being nominated for the Presidency (TIME, July 9). The raids continued, prosecutions began and the fact came out that the Manhattan mop-up had been personally planned by Mrs. Mabel Walker Willebrandt, U. S. Assistant Attorney General. Much of able Mrs. Willebrandt's energy has been exerted this year towards getting Mr. Hoover nominated and elected. "Politics! Dirty politics!" was a convincing cry.

Last week, to stop the cry, Assistant Prohibition Commissioner Alf Oftedal, acting in the absence of Commissioner James M. Doran, announced that Federal enforcement officers everywhere had been cautioned to refrain from spectacular raids which might in any way be thought politically motivated. This announcement came only a day or two after Nominee Hoover's return to Washington.

"Oho," said Democrats, "Mr. Hoover has sat upon Mrs. Willebrandt. He has told her her zeal must not go too far or in the wrong direction. New York is the biggest of the States, and hard enough to Hooverize, without annoying it. Mr. Hoover has thanked Mrs. Willebrandt and he has also 'spanked' her . . . etc., etc."

Indignant, Mrs. Willebrandt spoke up for herself. "It is preposterous," she said, "that Mr. Hoover or any other candidate for a high and dignified office such as the Presidency of the United States would presume to control a public officer in the discharge of official duties. Mr. Hoover has not done so and would not do so. The conduct of my official duties was not discussed with Mr. Hoover."