The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-09-04
Dope FieRdsaRd Riots

/ Sanguinary race riots in the Dis
trlct OF Columbia and Chicago fol-
lowing closely on the enforcement OF
prohibition impelled us to remark
last week that Demon Rum had been
made the scapegoat for most OF our
crimes and woes. We added that 9TH
er demons were responsible for much
OF the crime commonly ascribed TO
strong drink.
We have Just run acros the state
ment that police statistics demon
strate that to every murder commit
ted by an alcoholic there have been
four perpetrated by dope fiend. In
almost every case the drug addict
murdered either when charged"
with his particular brand of drug or
when suffering the temporary insan-
ity that accompanies reaction.
1t would be interesting to know
whether, and just how much, drug
addiction played part in the Wash
ington and Chicago riots. Are such
riots the result of human passions
untouched by artificial influence? Is
the mob mind wholly or almost who'll
ly human nature" or is IL human
nature modified to some extent by
drugs?
No doubt there will be searching
inquiries into the causes of the riots.
The investigations will be incomplete
If they do not take into consideration
the influence of drugs.
We called attention some months
ago to federal reports revealing that
the United States imports and manu-
features every year sufficient opium
to permit every man, woman and
child in the country thirty-six grains.
The significance of this may be ap-
preciated when it is stated that the
average dose is only pne grain.
Not taking into account the cocaine
struggled into the country. Amerl-
ca manufactures 10000 ounces OF
cocaine each year and only twenty
five per cent of 1t is used iegrti-
mately.
Until the Harrison law was passed
In 1914 the American people smoked
more opium than the Chinese did
even in the years when opium was
forced upon them by Great Britain
In the five years before the Law
was passed the United States USED
491,o43 pounds of opium. for which
s1S.S41,720 was paid. In the same
years we imported 1,04S,250 pound!
Of cocoa leaves at 81 a pound.
In the Black Belt OF Chicago the
traffic In drugs had beer extensive
for many years, especially In those
districts where vice has fastened III
tentacles the deepest. And in thu
purlieus OF these districts there hav,
been thousands of white dope fiends
Burglars, pickpockets and gunner
seldom set out on any enterpris~
theft or slaughter without enough CO
caine or heroin to supply the maxi
mum of courage.
Some studies made by DR.. Roya
S. Copeland, health commissioner o
New York City. have resulted in val
liable vital statistics and data on tn
4 use OF drugs.
III lib oeuhy tOoh ~ q oNfN'ANN'NN -
animation OF 2,723 users OF cocaine
morphine and heroin. These cam
from the five boroughs of the great
er city. Two thousand three hur
dred and thirty-eight OF them wer
vstte I'D 3S5 negroes. There wer
2,216 men and 507 women. BY ms
tionalities they were classed as 70
lows: American born. $50; Jew
511; Italians. Ga; Irish, 210; Spar
ish, 2S; Japanese, IL; Germans, 39s
English, 8; Scotch, 4; Canadians, &C
West Indians. 8; Brazilians, ;
Dutch, 2; Swedish, Z; Russians. III
Polish, S12; Greeks, 90; and Chill