The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-02-03
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1916.
Playing With Fire.

A lot of men who deal in tobacco in
Kenosha are playing with fire. The
state has law which strictly forbids
the sale Of cigarettes or the "makins :"
for cigarettes to minors. 1t is a law
that is built along right lines and not
one of these laws that are passed just
because some one wants to get his name
in the legislative record, without any
view of the law being enforced. The
law is going to be enforced in Kenosha.
Not because some people who the world
points to- as fanatics are demanding the
enforcement, but on account of the fact
that men with red blood in their veins
and who are accustomed to look at
things from the right angle, have de-
cided that the law is one possible Of
enforcement and one which should be
enforced to the letter. For lot Of
years the cigarette had no official
standing in Wisconsin. Of course, Gig
arettes were sold, but they were sold
in a manner that made the man who
sold them just as well as the man who
bought them a violator of the law.
There is no idea here Of discussing the
merits or dement's of the cigarettes.
Tt is a commercial product, and men
who have attained the mature years
where they can outline their own ways
of life, have a perfect right to buy
and smoke cigarettes if they see fit. If
the cigarette is necessary for their pur-
suit Of happiness there is nothing under
the law to take them away from them.
But the law is supposed to protect the
minor until he has reached this age of
discretion and the law says that he is
not to buy cigarettes. A lot of dealers
in tobacco, and it can be said that they
are men who are making money in the
business in Kenosha, have elected to
follow this law to the very letter. Some
others who would just as leave have
the nickel of ruined boy or girl as
the dollar of a millionaire, insist on
selling cigarettes to minors. If the
police should ask us just who these
people are, we would be forced to adj
NIT that we could not tell them. How
ever, the police win have no trouble
finding boys under the, age of 81, under
the age off1s, and possibly under the
age of S12,& smokingA cigarettes on the
streets and about Y public places in
jKenosha. Iftthe great majority of the
dealers in tobacco obey this law, it
should sbe5enforced against the others.
This,is. simply the doctrine of fair play.
la lot4of Smen could be getting these
nickelsi Of the boys, but these men have
declined to take them because they are
living up to the law. The other fellow
should find it terribly expensive to take
them. The boys themselves are well
aware of the provisions of the law, but
they feel that as long as they get away
with it they are doing something just
little smarter than the other boys do,
There have been prosecutions in Ken
osha for selling cigarettes to minors,
but there have not been nearly enough.
The police should get busy, pick out
the boys smoking on the street, and
either jail the boys as the law pro-
vides, or secure from them information
which will make it possible for them
to Jail the men who sell the boys cigar
cites. This is law which has the
support Of the large majority Of the
people of the state. The only question
of its enforcement is for the officials
who have duty to do to do it. En-
forcement of this law to the letter will
teach the boys and the dealers that
other laws are for enforcement. Fail
IRE to enforce it gives the boys and
the dealers a contempt. for the law and
for other laws.