Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-12-19
KEEPING US DRY.-By Frederic J. HaSkin

WASHINGTON, D. C-With an admins
trative force of 1900 individuals and an ap-
preparation of $4,000 900, how is the bureau
of internal revenue going to enforce the pro-
hibition law upon population Of more than
1OO,OO0,000?
That is a question which has been asked
before The bureau of internal revenue is
now preparing to try to answer it by demon
stratiOn. 1t Is organizing its forces and draft
ing it's regulations for the work of making
nation dry which will begin on the l 9Th
of January.
The internal revenue officials do not try
to minimize their task. They know that sue
cess in enforcing the prohibition law is de-
pendent upon the cooperation of local Of
icials, and, in the last analysis, upon the
support Of public opinion.
This is the view taken by Daniel c. Roper
who is at the head of this greatest of all
police jobs. He takes the view that the
question whether or not you favor prohibi-
ton is now dead issue. Prohibition is here
Or will be in less than a month-and it is
here to stay until the constitution is again
amended. Therefore, it is the duty Of all law
abiding men to lend prohibition their sup
port, regardless of whether they were Lily
whites or disti1lers before prohibition became
a law And upon this support, inspired by
a sense of duty and loyalty to American
principles of government the enforcement Of
prohibition is absolutely dependent.
In0r0 mas DC6n organized III the bureau OIL
internal revenue an administrative agency
for the enforcement of prohibition, whose ac-
tivities will reach all parts of the United
States and it's possessions. In each state there
will be federal prohibition director. The
country has been divided into ten units, in
charge of which will be as many federal
supervising prohibition agents. Under these
officers will be force of federal officers for
the enforcement of the law. Successful ad-
ministration, however, Commissioner Roper
admits, will depend largely upon the manner
in which other than federal agencies meet
the situation. In all communities, local Of
f1cers are expected to take the initiative.
This means that in every state, city, town
and hamlet in the United States, mayors, dis
trict attorneys, sheriffs and policemen are
called upon to do their full share in, the en-
forcement of the prohibition law. Not to
do so will result in such action by federal
authorities, and it is their purpose to bring to
the affection of the law-abiding citizens the
failure of local authorities to assume respon-
sibility for prohibition enforcement
By addresses, by appeals to civic and moral
organizations, by informative material sent to
every paper in the country, and by actual
physical demonstration how a man who vio-
lates the prohibition laws can be made swift
ly to feel it's penalties, the bureau of internal
revenue is impressing upon the American peo-
pie its earnest purpose thoroughly to enforce
the law.
"The internal revenue officers are not 60
ing to have time to bother about the men
who make their own" is a statement fire.
quently heard, but the bureau of internal
revenue denies it. Recently there were ar
rested members of concern advertising and
selling formulas for making Intoxicating
liquor in the home. They were held under the
section of the criminal code which provides
penalty of not more than $4,000 or i'm
prisonment for one year or both, for con-
spiracy to defraud the United States govern
ment. The prohibition act forbids the man
ufacture of distilled, malt or vnous liquors
until the conclusion of the present war, and
therefore, until the termination of demobili-
zation." Persons manufacturing in their
homes for private consumption such liquors
are subject to the penalties under these acts
and are liable also to penalties and taxes i'm
posed by internal revenue laws. Two or more
persons who engage in the home manufacture