The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1919-09-11

lNO EXCUSE fOk
VIOLA TING Law
Bismarck, Sept. 8. s.The test 81 4
law is its enforcement, said Attorney
General William LANCER when inter-
I viewed concerning the cigarette lid
which has been clamped I on III the
state. During the war period the
Red Cross, Y. N. G. a., Jewish Board,
Salvation Army, the Knights of Co
lumbus and kindred organizations col
lected thousands Of dollars for distri-
button Of cigarettes to soldiers. The
men deserved the attention Of the pub
lie. The cigarette was considered by
the government as q war neceosity.
But the war has long been over. North
Dakota has an anti-cigarette law. I
do not care to express an opinion as
to whether L consider it good or a
bad law. NH sss
1.-TWO months ago and since the
state licensing department sent out
notices of laws most apt to be violat-
ed Registered letters were mailed to
all pool hall, confectionery stores and
other dealers holding state licenses.
There is no excuse for violation Of the
law. The cigarette lid is on and on
tightly. My job as attorney general
is to enforce all laws without fear or
favor" he concluded. s sa
The statements is Of decided inter
est in connection with the present con-
ditions. Perhaps the greatest law en-
forcing campaign in the history of the
state has just concluded over the
eastern counties. Langer's os-called
"Flying Squadron" in ten days caused
arrests on 1876 charges in 81 towns of
IL counties, secured pleas Of guilty in
116 cases and orders holding law VIC
lators for trial in district court in Is
cases. .sys
Towns visited and the number of
arrests in each were as follows: Me-
dina Z, jamestown 16, Valley City, Z,
Casselton 2, Fargo "a cigarette and
18 other cases, Grandin 2, Grand
Forks 4, Larimore 8, Lakota 6, Peters
burg 2, Doyon 2, Crazy 2, Devils Lake |
2, Churches Ferry 4, Knox 2, Rugby |
s, Oberon z, New Rockford Car
rington 4, and one each in Spiritwood,
Eckelson, sanborn, OrisRa, Tower City
Buffalo, Argusvile, Brindmade,
Leeds, Lallie, Sheyenne, Barlow.
Seventy-four men pleaded guilty to
selling cigarettes, paid fines OF $50
cash and costs and in addition have 3 |
ten day suspended jail sentence hang
ing over their heads to be served for
a subsequent violation of the cigarette
vHVn oil 6H1YS NV
and paid $500 fine for selling snuff:
Two others were bound over for trial
in district court for "schnoos" sales;
seventeen were arrested for gambling
and paid a total of $40 fines and
costs; six men were bound over TO dis
trict court to stand trial for liqtor vio-
latioHs; one chief of police was remov-
ed; two stills were uncovered and
notorious hotel at Fargo was, put out
Of commission as bawdy house.
In addition to these prosecutions
conducted in the various towns by AS
sistant Attorney General Albert E.
Sheets, Jr., two pool halls were closed
and their licenses revoked by order OF
State Inspector Earle II. TosteYin.
One,s that of Perry Star located at
Oberen, had all the apparatus Of q
similar place in the pioneer days. The
other pool hall, that Of Henry May
heW. Oriska, was closed as a penalty II
for contempt of the law. Three months
ago Mayhem was arrested and convict
ed of selling cigarettes to minors and Il
was told that further violation of the
law would mean his license revoked:
He ignored the warning and the les
son. s
Letters commencing the action Of
the attorney general are porlng into
his Office and Mr.. LANCER admitted !
that strange as it might sem, the let-l
ters are pretty evenly divided be-i
tween men who have been selling Gig
aretts and the men who opposed their
sale. 5,'.
The anti-cigarette faction is pleased
because the law has been enforced and
it has become almost an Iimpossibility 4
to scure cigarettes. The dealers and
cigarette smokers are pleased because
etetettetetetettttaoi DIN DIN oininoa
they believe the rigid enforcement Of
the law will prove the statute to bel
decidedly unpopular. They forsee 9
hard fight at the next or the special
session of the legislature to have the
law repealed and a statute substituted 1
for. it that will provide a high license
for cigarette sales and a snuff fine and 1
Jail penalty for sale of cigarettes to
minors. The anti-cigarette forces bel
lieve if cigarettes are. hard to get,
many will give up the. use Of them.
And LANCER says, The law is being
enforced, I've done my bit and any
action is up to the people. !"
HANGS
OVER st TT cApIT0I |.