National Affairs: 'Criticism Responsible

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Most people in West Palm Beach, Fla., thought George W. Moore was a bootlegger. They had seen a truck backing up to his home, unloading bottles. Four U. S. Prohibition agents, with a search warrant from a U. S. commissioner, went to Moore's house one evening last week. Two approached the front door, two the rear. The search warrant was exhibited. From behind closed doors buckshot poured into the warm darkness.

When Chief of Police Frank Matthews arrived, he had to argue with Moore for 20 minutes to put down his shotgun and accept arrest. On the front porch lay the dead body of Agent Robert Knox Moncure. Beneath it was the blood-stained warrant. In the kitchen lay the shot-riddled dying body of Agent F. R. Patterson.

Moore's defense: The search warrant was invalid after dark.

Declared Prohibition Commissioner Doran who had sponsored Moncure into the Dry service: "It is a case of an irresponsible person, inflamed by derogatory remarks about Prohibition agents, losing his head and, keyed up by all this criticism, blazing away. . . . Attacks on our personnel are, in part, responsible. . . . Agents Moncure and Patterson were shot down while performing their duty in a proper manner."

Remarked Agent Moncure's widow: "If Dry-voting, Wet-living Congressmen could be made to realize conditions as they are in the greatest war of all times . . . I'd face my joyless future with calm resignation."