The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-04-16

Eavesdropping; An Indication OF n
low type OF mind occurring among
those who are known 10 have once
been above a..
lndency In speech or nctiona. In
those whom We have good reason 10
believe az one time were particular 10
avoid this sort OF thing. II indicates
the party In on the decline mentally.
| trhutudo In one of the attributes
OF higher civilization when degen.
cracy begins. II IL one Of tho first Of
IN" nohlor traits Of character to dis
appear. But, coming down 10 earth.
tho above explains why there are 80
many confirmed liars among the nd
dicts-why they viii resort TO any
subterfuge 90 obtain tho drug-why
They are absolutely undcpcndable,
and why. In extremity. they will do
any uling on earth To satisfy the
craving. even To murder.
TT IS UNDOUBTEDLY TRUE that
The carnival Of crime sweeping
over the country today. the unheard
Of holdups. the almost unbelievable
murders and burgiaries that require
the utmost daring. are the fruit Of
drug addiction ~-refcrrlng 10 the des-
pcrhte type. OF courro
Parsons again EayH.
There arc habits and habits; 20
my mind the law making habit Is the
most vicious ~ all. Since the passage
OF Tho various antinareotic laws. the
author1tioa tell us that there nre
moro addicts in tho country than
ever before. They tell us this. not
became they think the lazy has been
a failure. but as a plea for more ne.
vero laws Tho most that the law
appears 10 have done up TO date has
been 10 furnish a means OF livelihood
for certain government and state Of.
ficials and persecution for the ad
dict"
Tho law. by making n hard. at
times. for the addict 10 get his NOR.
phine. has. fully believe. incroased
tho number Of drug users and. In
consequence. Increased the number OF
degcneratea among morphine addicts
Every time an addict is locked up
ana HIS morphine taken away from
him. he becomes n worp~ type OF ad
Dict except In very raro cases. where
Il effects n cure.
lYNfE MITCH SPOKEN OF "Harr1-
l. son Law was enacted with tho
best Intentions I'm the world. IL WINS
primarily intended 10 lessen the mum.
Der or addicts. by placing certain re
strictons on tho sale of the drug and
whole lot OF blue tape for ply
Hicinn. 10 conform with--aIso pro
visions regulating tho addict himself
but. unfortunately. IL has seeming.
~ increased.
The law. as II now ssnuds, IL De-
f~ctyc and imperative In offecting
Tho aims and ends Intended. II has
evidently increased tho number OF
TENDS. rather than decreased them.
Tor u has licensed interruptions
tsurcrn who have cohorSed with the
rinuoua. criminal underworld. 10
whose established stations Of lie~n-
SURF and distribution. the addlcta.
avoiding the physician and treat.
mont. have BECOME steady and profit.
able customers. with many new con
vrrtx
Tho prevailing criminal atrnos-
phern. tho underworld channels of
interruptions licontiates and peddiers
rrok OF coke" and dope while
none but Legitimate channels are
watched and reported. Thousands
and thousands have bean licensed by
the government 10 barter and trade
In narcotic drugs. and small for.
tunes have been realised In advance
prices because Of the law. The Har.
rison law does not correct the evil.