The Washington times., 1920-08-29
rum S[EUTHS
TIRE OF J0BS
Liquor Flows In Streams, They
Claim, and New Laws
Are Needed.


the land for more than seven months.
docs not prohibit. but 10 big ex-
pense 70 the Government. This Is the
opinion voiced by some Government
officials who have been In close
touch with the workings of the Of
nee OF the prohibition commissioner
The dual working OF the prohibition
law. under the direct supervision OF
the prohibition commissioner and his
directors and the ancillary direc-
ton OF the internal revenue coiiec-
tors. has not worked to advantage. II
In said. The prohibition directors
blame the revenue collectors Tor
some of the mistakes. and the reve:
nue. collectors blame the prohibition
directors.
NEW LAWS NEEDED.
When Congress meets in December,
IL will have to enact new legislation
II the prohibition law 10 to be en-
forced. This 10 the sentiment OF
both the Internal revenue bureau and
the prohibition Office. While pro-
hibition agents and internal revenue
officers are daily making arrests for
the unlawful transportation, selling
and possession OF liquor. they are
not making even a dent In the now
Of ,iouor. IL is said. This 10 mani
tested by the comparative ease win
which LIQUOR may be obtained.
The rumor among tho bootleggers
In that there will be plenty OF liquor
between now and the elections In
November, due to political activity.
The revenue officers and the prohibi-
tion officers say that the elections
have nothing to do with liquor traf-
fc. But. nevertheless, the fact re-
mains that the same rumor was
af,oat before the primary elections
In Pennsyivania- and liquor Moved
freely from that State into the near
by states and as far south as VII
ginia. The primary elections may
not have had anything to DO with
II, as the prohibition officials say.
but II flowed nevertheless. As the
November elections approach. the
price Of liquor Is dropping.
1t is known that the revenue officers
attached to the office Of the prohibit
tion forces are becoming weary OF
the task Of trying to stop the liquor
traffic. During the pre-prohioition
days, they prided themselves that
when they started out after an Illicit
distillery. they usually got It with
the new job on their HANDS IL is oit-
ferent They have been working un-
tirinrly for the past seven months.
and today II is just as easy to get
whiskey as II was when the prohibi-
ton law went into effect. although
1t costs more.
MEDICINE FOR MINERS.
The patent medicine business IL
causing the prohibition officials a
great amount OF worry. on account OF
the number OF new preparations that
are coming on the market and the
ease with which they can be pur-
chased. 1t Is said that In the min
ing towns Of the country the patent
medicines are doing a land office
business.
The patent medicine business needs
regulating. prohibition officials say
because Of the different modes by
which It is sold. In the District Of
Columbia and many large cities OF the
country, the selling OF some prepa-
rations is prohibited unless the
dealer has, hrst obtained license to
dispense drugs. This condition does
not obtain In the smaller towns and
sells everything from china to cider.
1t would be manifestly unfair to pro-
hibit the selling Of patent medicines
in these stores, because there fs no
convenient drug store to take care OF
this trade.
CONVICTIONS COST MONEY.
Several remedies have been pro-
posed to stop the illicit trading in
liquor. but nothing can be done until
Congress takes action. Revenue Of
flcers say that II is costing the Gov
ernment about $500 to convict a man
and that the convicted man Is rarely
fined more than $50.
This IL a net loss to the Government
of $3.50. they point out, and does not
help the cause Of prohibition. because
the convicted person, seeing how easy
he was let or and realixing the big
profit he made In the business, readily
goes into the business again. The
second offense is more severe, but In
such cases the convicted person usu-
ally takes the Jail sentence. thereby
not only costing the initial expense
OF $500 to convict him. but the added
expense Of feeding him while he is
doing time.