The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-12-16
GIVE THE DEVIL HIS DUE

an editorial in it's last issue severely
criticising prohibition officers for
stopping automobiles Of innocent pri-
vate citizens at the point of gun and
searching them for possible shipments
of struggled whiskey.
The annoyance to the citizens IN
question can be readily appreciated
and is, of course, to be deprecated.
But what of the difficulties of the en-
forcement officers While a sterner
and more drastic policy on the part of
the federal agents would doubtless
produce better results than have been
or are at present being recorded new
ertheless something must be said in
extenuation of the men who represent
the law. The officers are obliged to
combat a strong secret organization
of lawbreakers, men we'll equipped
with money, powerful automobiles
weapons that some of them at least
will not hesitate to use, spies, spot
tiers, sentinel ,outposts and, it is ru-
mored even business connections of
Importance and Of an outwardly re-
spectacle character the odivulging Of
whose names would cause sensation.
The smugglers know their game, their
country and their opponents we'll.
The officials have likewise to COM
bat not only large element that is
really in favor Of liquor and the traf-
fc in it, but, in addition, there is
that great mass of persons who are
Indifferent as long as they are not per-
sonally disturbed or injured and those
who are so timid they dare not lift
voice or hand for what they know to
be right.
The enforcement department is not
overcrowded with men nor unduly
supplied with funds for it's work.
Moreover, most fatal defect of all, it's
ranks contain men who are either the
deliberate spies of the whiskey "ring'
or who at least are open to "persuas-
ion' of some kind. and it is extremely
difficult to plan and carry out a raid
without at least some of the suspected
lawbreakers being warned in advance.
Light sentences and easy terms Civ
en- to men who are actually arrested
often taken with the indisputable evil
dence of crime in their possession
are another source of Encouragement
and impeachment to the enforcement
department. ~
Dry agents cannot allow automo-
biles to pass merely because there are
women in them for the simple rea son
that crafty runners have followed the
practice of taking women with them
on their trips both for blinds and
shields in case of meeting with the Of
ficers. And when cars are closed with
curtains or otherwise it is difficult for
an officer to see who is within unless
he stops the machine and investigates
closely. .1>.-... .
And if an officer sternly shoots to
really reach his mark, as some de-
mand he is obliged to face storm
of popular criticism, as in the case OF
Sheriff Hennessy of Bottineau county,
and may even be subjected to court
action. The fact that bandits some
times masquerade as officers and stop
travellers to rob them is one of the
weaknesses of the situation but does
nv The S'e enforcement fo officers are made
the butt of jest and gibe, satire and
bitter criticism in many quarters and
some are no doubt fully deserving Of
all that is said Of them. However,
does anyone doubt that there are hon
est conscientious men in the staff
men who are seeking to do their duty
and live up to their oaths as far as
their own. human frailty will permit
and considering the tremendous diff
culties Of their work? The day will
come in later years when the much
abused enforcement officer of today
will rank with the now haloed men
who fought the illicit slave trade be-
fore the Civil war.--Minot Daily News.