Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-02
MAR UPON DOPE
ASLIQUOR FADES
nelT Sam Will Prosecute
Old Addicts and
New Ones
CRUSADE WORLD WIDE
Peace Conference 20. K" Re-
ported on Measure Banning
Drug Habit Everywhere
CRUSADE WORLD WIDE
BIZ a star Correspondent

washington, April 1.-The United
states Government has under way a
.natioh.w wide and worldwide campaign
OF unprecedented proportions to check
the ute of narcotic drugs, such as opium,
rnorphInes heroin, cocaine and other
drug Preparations.
II IS Intended and hoped within a
short time to make it wholly impossible
for drug addicts to continue their dope
habits and to prevent persons who for
7nerly drank In excess taking to the use
of narcotics as the world wave of liquor
prohibition sweeps steadily onward.
Recognizing that the dope habit is
steadily Increasing in the United States,
where 1t is used more, per capita OF
population. than in any other civilized
country, and that the worldwide spread
OF prohibition of liquor will drive many
former druhSards to the use of drugs,
the government officials are taking steps
TO meet the situation.
The government plans to stamp out
the drug habit entirely in the United
states were outlined today by b. {.
Keith. Deputy Commissioner of Internal
Revenue, who has been in charge or the
enforcement of the narcotic laws since
their passage in 1914.
Jail for Dope Addicts
I'VE have the names of almost every
done fiend' and their whereabouts, ana
now Congress has passed the necessary
laws we are going to make them give
up the hope habit or put them behind
tie bars" said Mr.. Keith.
The government has made prepara-
tons not only to stop the traffic in mar
cotics after they enter the United States.
but to stop the manufacture and trade
in drugs in other countries as direct
means of preventing their shipment here.
Government officials in charge of the
suppression of the traffic in narcotics
SO thoroughly convinced President Will
son during his short stay here in Feb
ruary Of the great harm habitual use
OF various kinds of dope" was having
on the American people, that he urged
upon the peace commissioners at Paris
the adoption of provisions for stopping
the use and traffic in narcotics all over
the world as a part of the peace treaty,
and succeeded in having it approved, II
is learned on excellent authority.
Law Hero Adequate
The Internal Revenue Bureau is now
supplied with all the authority it needs
to stop the traffic in drugs through the
inclusion in the war revenue bill, passed
1908. calculated to put a complete stop
TO the use of any of the narcotics, ex-
cept for really legitimate medicinal pur-
poses. The old law only made drug
Gists and physicians who furnished or
prescribed drugs register and pay a nom-
inal fee of 81 year, and it was very
diffcult to prosecute under it. The new
law levies a tax ranging from SO to $24
year and puts a complete check on
all physicians. druggists, importers, pro.
ducers. manufacturers and wholesale and
retail dealers who handle narcotic drugs
IN any form, and provides the payment
OF tax on every package containing
narcotic drugs in any amount
This new law. Mr.. Keith says, will
furnish his bureau with complete knowl.
edge of all legitimate transactions in
narcotics and give ample grounds for
prosecution of violators.
Two out of every 100 persons in the
large American cities use narcotics, In
some form, the latest census statistics
show.
Paregoric Popular
The drug addicts do not confine them
selves entirely to straight doses of NOR
phine. cocaine or heroin, because those
drugs are too difficult to get in large
quantities. They turn to the drinking
OF paregoric. Jamaica ginger. lemon ex.
tracts and the taking of patent medi-
cines containing morphine.
Mr., Keith. who has been warrinf
on the drug addicts since the passage
or the Harrison narcotic law in 1914
VIII direct the prosecutions
Mr.. Keith, after much study, directed
that in cases where unlawful sales were
discovered the druggist be charged witt
violation of the law. and that the user
and the physician who prel,r;bed its use
be charged with conspiracy In the first
case under this procedure brought ir
Rhode Island the court sustained tn,
validity of the indictment and con
victed all the defendants, Keith ant
his associates having successfully go
Anround Supreme Court ruling. Ate
being thus upheld by the court the In
ternal Revenue Bureau began success
ful campaign to stop physicians ant
druggists giving dope" of all kinds I,
sddicts under the supposition that 1
was necessary to continue to dope then
IN order TO keep them aliye.
Some Physicians Guilty
In my several years of experienc
with the narcotic drug situation / hav
found there are two principal source
through which drugs are distributed TO
unlawful purposes" said Mr.. Keith
q "One Is through the Illicit dealer an
smnsgier who gets it into this coun
try and peddles 1t around. The othe
- through addicts being able to obtai
II on prescription from a certain clas
of physicians through a certain clas
OF druggists"
To ELIMINATE entirely the traffic an
use OF drugs appears almost an impo.
sibility, Mr.. Keith said, because as 500
as the drug smugglers and peddlers az
cleaned up In one section of the countr
and out from behind the bars anotht
crop develops in another section.
s'The men who engage in this traff
obtain the heroin, opium and cocaine {
from SIS to $24 an ounce, usually adu
ferate 1t to some degree to increase II
bulk and sell II TO the slaves to IL
drug, through runners. in small quaint
tiee at from s65 to 800 an ounce
said Mr.. Keith. I'VE have had cas-
81 large dealers who boasted that the
made a. much as 10000 or $4,000
year. In one instance a druggist. whoi
1nroper business amounted to virtual
1iothfng, admitted he made $1,000