The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1919-08-15
CRIME DECREASES Fifteen PER CENT
IN new YORK CITY THE RECORDS SHOW
Despite Fact That Saloons Still Operating Sale of IT'S Per
Cent Beer Drunkenness Has Decreased; Noticeable
Increase in the Use of Narcotic Drugs; Real
Estate Market Is Not Depressed

The New York Tribune of August
the effect OF partial Pro
in that city with a statemen
hat the police reports show a de
,rcasc of Is per cent in crime a
compared with July of 1918, ant
show less drunkenness. 1t declares
hat there is no gain in trade volum,
apparent. 1t also says that drug ad
licts are using more narcotics bu
ever inebriates are acquiring TIL,
lrug habit. 1t must be remembered
hat New York city is by no mean.
zone dry. The saloons are selling
,eer of alleged 2.75 per cent alcoholic
content and it is also conceded tha
many of these beer saloons arc
Cling stronger liquor surreptitiously
The Tribune says with reference tc
he crime situaton:
There has been less crime. The
records of the police department
and some of the larger detective
agencies show decrease of per
cent in crimes of all kinds as COM
pared with July of 1918. A de-
crease is said to be particularly
noticeable in crimes OF violence.
Arrests for intoxication are fewer.
In July OF 1918 the daily average
for this offense was "a. In July
of 1919 it was IA.
The Salvation Army hotel at
rs Bowery reported no change in
the number of drunks that had to
be elected, the only apparent re-
suit of Prohibition being the
growing resentment on the part
of moderate drinkers In Union :
Settlement it was said that only
one saloon in the city had closed
and there was no evidence of
improved conditions. An officer
of the Society for Prevention OF
Cruelty to Children said CONT
plants of parents who we're
habitually under the influence OF
liquor came in as regularly as
ever.
Drug Traffic Fallacy Bursts
The Tribune does not give sum
nary of the official police court rec.
rds but merely the bare statement
hat these reports show a decrease OF
5 per cent in arrests.
1t has been freely predicted by the
nti- Pr ohibitionists that there woulc
e a marked increase in the use Of
arcotic drugs with the advent Of
var Prohibition. For several months
he New York city papers have giver
much publicity to this sort OF argu-
nent. They published so much with
eference to this that people every.
where have become acquainted with
he fact that wet New York city was
arboring more drug addicts than any
ther section in America. This drue
raffic grew to tremendous proper
ions under a liquor license system
The New York Tribune of August
avs:
The first month of Prohibition
has produced slight increase in
the demand for narcotics. This is
chiefly noticeable among the adj
diets for whom the city is caring
at the clinic on Worth street.
Physicians with private prac-
tees agree that within their
knowledge persons addicted to
drink have not shown any par
ticular inclination to turn toward
drugs as a substitute. But DIR.
Royal S. Copeland, health COM
missioner, who is looking after
several thousand fairly represen-
tative addicts said yesterday he
DCliCNCQ lUSIC was al app CNldDlC
augmentation of the craving for
drugs as the result of the with
drawal of the liquor from the
market. He is quoted as saying:
"a month is a short period to
judge by, but we have had sew
eral new patients who stated in
filling in their registration cards
that they previously were alco-
holics. I would not go so far as
to say the difference is conspicu-
Qua, but l believe It will become
more and more noticeable as
time goes on"
Thus another failacy OF the booze
interests Is being exposed,
Has Not Depressed Real Estate
Market
1T