Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-09
$4,000 ARRESTS IN
SIX DRY" MONTHS
SlO,OOO.OO0 in Liquors Seized by
u. S. Agents, Kramer Will
Report.

Washington, Aug. o.-Sh months of
national prohibition has resulted in more
than 10000 arrests and seizures of liquor,
Commissioner L. Kramer is expected to
show In his annual report. now IN prepara-
ton.
LIQUOR confiscated by the Federal. pro-
hilton forces was worth more than SIu,-
OOO000. it is estimated
In the has of Commissioner Kramer s
report the Treasury Department officials
are planning to ask Congress to increase
the appropria tion for next year 10 enforce
the Volstead law. The appropriation for
this wear is S3,O00.000 MIR. Kramer be-
lieves national prohibition so far has prov
cd as much of a success as could have been
expected, despite inumerablc known vlo-
lations Of the law.
The prohibition Commissioner now is
planning new regulations governing stor-
age and sale for non-bcveragc purposes
of supplies Of liquor now on hand. Govern
ment officials in all departments affected
are dcvising means of more strictly en-
forcing the law than now is possible With
n large appropriation the prohibition
inspection force can be. Increased.
with a larger force We can police the
international borders moro efficiently,
said Chef Field Agent Hall.
The borders separating the United
States from Canada and Mexico and the
mountain ''moonshine" districts now are
the territories where prohibition Is hardest
10 enforce. according to Commissioner
Framer Next comes the big cities, New
York and Chicago. and to a lesser extent
Cleveland. St Louis and New Orleans
Prohibition squads are now being shifted
constantly from one city ta another. A
squad OF agents arriving IN one OF these
critics IL nut through a series Of quick raids
and than switched 10 another city, where
the members of the squad are unknown.
"Ncst violations Of tho law seem 70
he ATTEMPTED hv nroprictors Of soft
drink saloons. said Mr. Kramer. places
which formerly sold liquor but made 4
pretence Of changing over TO un lntoXl-
eating drinks when prohibition became
effective MANY soft drink stores. no
doubt arc law obeying places. but great
many attempt violations whenever II IS
tn ught safe
Large quantities seized by prohibition
agents now arc being held awaiting court
decisions for their d'spoal Prohibition
off cials saw they have no idea what will
be done with this liquor They arc against
the government attempting to sell under
that section of the law which permits
sales for nOn-bevcragc purposes. 1t would
nut the government in n false light. they
say They hint, however, that they would
Ne glad 70 see confscatcd liquor destroyed.
II would reduce the amount in existence
and cut down possibility Of law violations,
they believe Liquor now legally in stnragn
under bond totals more than j0,000,O00
gallons
Mr. Kramer's conviction that prohibit |
ton thus far has proved beneficial to
the nation is based on social and economic
conditions Reports from field agents reach /
him almost daily. describing interviews the j
agents have had with police chiefs who are |
frequently quoted as saying crime IS being |
reduced Jails are described rs being only /
partially filed, whereas before January Is |
when national prohibition became effective
cell room was not 10 he had IN some cities |
Agents also report hospitals now have