The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-22
First Day of Enforcement of the Liquor Ordinance Passes Without Un-
 usual Incident
SNEAK THIEF STEALS
 TWO STAMP BOOKS
Barber We'll Pleased With Operation of Law-Hornady States It Is the Best Bet Yet to Enforce
 Prohibition

With the Walker liquor inspection
 law in effect one day the city coffers
 are richer by the sum of $437, as STA inspections were reported yesterday
 by Chief Inspector Dr. F. B. Sutton to
 City Comptroller Louis Levy at 8 o'clock last night
 | No unusual incidents attended the first day of the liquor inspection ordi- nance-except that sneak thief en-
 tered the Terminal offices of the muni- | cipal inspection bureau and made off with two stamp books valued at S1O0. The city comptroller had the serial
 numbers of the stolen stamps and they
 cannot be used without successful de- lection.
 The figures as reported are said to
 have disappointed the liquor inspection
 laws strongest adherents as a revenue bearer When the ordinance was first proposed it was stated that an average l of 1760 liquor packages daily came
 through various express offices in Bir-
 mingham and that only one half of this
 number came in yesterday was regard ed as significant that the new ordi-
 nance, while not revenue bearer
 would act as a curb upon the liquor
 traffic On this angle Commissioned
 Arlie Barber said:
 The liquor inspection law went into erect today with vigor No trouble
 was encountered, although some person
 stole two books of liquor stamps iron, the Terminal office valued at $1OO However, we have the serial numbers l or the stamps and they cannot be used without detection. Still it was annoying
 to have the stamps stolen on the first day.
 'The fact that less liquors are com ing into Birmingham today shows what have always contended that the Iiquor
 inspection will seriously embarrass the shipping of liquor in this state It is working out just as I anticipated and am very well pleased with the first day of the liquor inspection law" | commissioner John Hornady, also an ardent supporter of the liquor inspec-
 ton ordinance, stated last night that the fact that the brewers and distillers or adJacent states were about to start legal night against the enforcement or the liquor law clearly proved that if
 was an excellent prohibition measure Il voted for the liquor ordinance,' ,'
 sad MT Hornady, mainly because if was prohibition measure that wou1d I
 That it would be a revenue produce1 did not influence my vote I think that the results of this liuuor inspection Will Keep down shipments to small
 fraction of what it was in the past" At no time during the day was there any sign of trouble about the various
 inspection depots and no delay was oc-
 casloned by the inspections. The peo-
 pie at the Terminal station received their supply of liquors from the ex
 press office and then immediately hastened to the municipal inspection
 bureau where they paid 50 cents and went on their way. It was stated that there were very few infractions of the law yesterday, if any
 City Attorney M. M UIlman stated last night that for the next few weeks
 the police and inspectors would act
 With calmness and discretion in the
 matter of making arrests for the viola
 tions of the liquor inspection law. No homes, avered the city attorney, would
 be raided unless there was direct com plaint that a nuisance was being main-
 tained. Time, it was stated would be
 given for the people to get thoroughly familiar with the provisions and spirit Of the new law and arrests would be
 made only when it became apparent that the violations were premeditated
 Tt is not our intention, said MT. UIl-
 man, Ito unduly ruffle the public mind"
 Up to last night no action had vet been started in either the federal or state courts to enjoin the city from en- forcing the liquor inspection law. City Attorney Ullman, however. stated that without doubt a suit would be filed be- fore the end of the week.
 We are ready for it." he said