The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-02-18
| CAN MAKE
SALOON OBEY
LAW; WON'T
Wouldn't Be "Good Policy To
Insist on Observance Of Legal
Hours, Declares Police
Commissioner
SAYS OTHER FEATURES
ARE MORE IMPORTANT
Promises Policy Relative to
Groggeries that '1People Will
Be Proud Of"

Fl am well aware that the Warner.
Cramton law ig being violated in De-
troit," said Police Commissioners Gil
lespie. Thursday morning. when his
attention was called to the report
that the state legislature plans dras-
| tic amendments to the law because
OF its nasrant disregard by Detroit
saloonkeepers.
Gould you make the saloonkeepers
obey the law II you wanted to do
so?" the commissioner was asked.
"Yes.s was the emphatic response.
II could close every saloon In the
city promptly on the hour every
night and keep them closed tight
from Saturday night to Monday morn
ing and on holidays, and could do
IL without any additional men. but |
think It would not be good policy.
"The question of hours is insignifi-
cant. There 10 no more harm In q
glass OF beer on Sunday than there
is In Q glass Of beer on Monday.
Whether saloon is keeping open on
Sunday or after hours doesn't con-
Germ as nearly as much as whether
they are harboring women and cater
ing 20 minors. II u along those lines
we have gone after the liquor men,
and shall keep after them right along.
TAey understand that. too. and are
behaving themselves. The saloons OF
Detroit were never more orderly than
they are today. There has been but
one homicide In saloon during my
administration, and they were COM
mon before. The Monday papers
used to be filled with reports Of Sun
day saloon brawls and killings until
people hated TO see Sunday come,
but that condition prevails no longer.
The records speak for themselves.
1T In not with the consent of this
department, you understand, that the
saloonkeepers are keeping open In
violation of the law. When they
have come to me and asked for lee
way In the matter of Sunday closing
and keeping open after hours, / have
told them positively nothing doing. :"
The saloonkeepers simply take q
chance, then" was asked.
"Yes They have acted on their
own responsibility"
But they were pretty sure they
would not be prosecutedw
I'VE have tolerated them. yes, be
cause. as have stated. we think II
10 not good policy to strictly enforce
the law in the matter Of closing"
How do you figure a wide-open
policy makes for better order?"
1T takes liquor away from the
home. A man will drink 10 glasses
OF beer II he has II In his home on q
Sunday where he would drink one
i'm a saloon. Closing the saloons on
Sunday will not prevent men from
getting drink II they want II, and I
believe II Is better for them to get
IL In a saloon than to take IL home,
where their children can watch them
lmbibe. When l get through with
these saloons. they will be SO well
regulated the people will be proud
of them.
Il had to laugh when read that
the law IL being enforced to the let
ter all over the state except in De-
kroit Any legislator In Lansing
knows better than that, and I know
personally that the law is being vio-
lated In several Michigan cities. In
almost any OF them a man can get
- OIlnk WncncNcf nc WdulS IL,
The commissioner called attention
TO an item under Dowagiac date
line, which appeared directly under
|The Times story In question, last
Tuesday. The item told OF q num-
bor of boys who had been found un-
CONSCIOUS from drinking intoxicants,
and OF the arrest OF a saloonkeeper
|for furnishing them with the liquor.
sAnd STILL" he said. they say the
law is being enforced out In the
btate. Why, right here in 'wide-open'
Dotroit you never hear OF anything
~ bad as that. The saloonkeepers
know we wouldn't tolerate II. They
tear us"
Commissioner Gillespie admitted
that his saloon blacklist does not In
clude the names of liquor dealers who
koop open In violation OF the law.
but rather those who will not adhere
10 the departments policy Of regu-
atlon. One point the commissioner
made was that II saloonkeeper re-
buses to be good. he can be forced to
Dboy the law to the letter In addition
b being placed on the blacklist. The
)aw IN this way becomes club In
khs hands OF the department