Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-06-30
ROCK ISLAND IS
NOT UPSET ANY
AS BOOZE DIES
City Drinks ROOtbeer While Other
Towns ReYeI at Wake of Old
John Barieycorn.

While wet cities throughout the
United States will hold wake over
John Barleycorn, dry Rock Island
will watch the passing of shark
Juice tonight by drinking root beer
and eating chocolate parfaits.
Rock Island held its celebration a
year ago last month. when the
townships of Rock Island and
South Rock Island became dry uE-
der the local option laws.
Yet tie wet spots of the county in
South Nome township where there
are five Saiion houses, will be the
mecca for hundreds who will MAKE
their last trip to lay in a supply Of
Ticker" for the ensuing period of
aridity.
Many have attended TO this mat
ter already but will make the trip
anyway to see the sights tonight
and perhaps to purchase just a FEW
more TASKS to add to their already
large store None seems to have
much apprehension for the search
and seizure act and many are laying
Ia supply with no pretense of Sc
cTecy, believing that the officials
will not be so thorough in their en-
deavor as to discover the basement
cases.
Saturday night the road houses
were well patronized. There was a
ste1dy stream of machines to and
fro. going there empty and return
ing well laden.
Would Bet on IL.
One could get wagers of all kinds
in Rock Island Saturday that the
war Tine prohibition would not go
into effect tomorrow Odds were
even offered, to 4, that Wilson
would act to save the vets the nve
months remaining before the con-
stiutional amendment becomes er-
fective. Yet these wagers were lost,
and the president took no action.
Nevertheless, former saloon men
and others who have depended on
the liquor traffic for a living here,
predict that a future congress VIII
undo what the last congress has
done and the amendment for pro-
hibition will be nullifled. They say
that England has had to strengthen
the quality and increase the alcohol
in its beer and they point to Russia
and claim that taking vodka from
the Russian has brought about the
chaos Russia is in
On the other hand. dry leaders
say that booze is dead in the Unit
ed States. They say the battle in
this country is won and now they
must turn their attention to world
prohibition
However, Rock Island has no.
Deen without booze since it became
dry territory year ago. Perhaps
not as much was consumed in the
city as when it had saloons, but it |
was consumed although it was less |
convenient to get than before.
Arsenal Zone Law.
Wartime restrictions in the form /
OF five mile zone about the Rock |
Island arsenal has made John Bar
1eycorns existence within that dis
lance practically impossible The |
friendly reIatiosn, though curbed, !
were never broken. for the fringe /
been dripping wet" And it is ii |
Johns own domain, safely away
from the deadline drawn by the fed
eral authorities, that the old COM
panions of the passing veteran will /
HE themselves tonight for parting
farewell before the stroke of IL
ushers in a new and arid land.
Saturday and Saturday night the
gallon" houses on the fringe
of the five mile zone did rushing
business. The roads were packed
with automobiles and the hillsides
about the various resorts were lit
tered with kegs, barrels and cases
Tonight the proprietors of the road
houses expect to dispose of their
supply, and they have made ample
provision 10 take care of the STAN
pede that is expected to be staged
by those who will endeavor to Law
in a supply against the terrors of
M finnni Ohihifinn