Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-09-30

ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
1t is very evident from the last two
arrests by the local police in con-
lection with the wholesale transport
alton of liquors out OF and through
his city that the remedy for the IL
egal sale of these liquors rests main
y in the federal government author
ties who issue licenses and permits
70 freely to dealers.
It Is still lawful to use alcoholic
iquors for medicinal and sacrament
al purposes. For this trade the fed
srai government issues q license and
with each license goes a permit to
lake the liquor from the government
bond houses and transport II to the
purchasers. Here Is where the abuse
comes in and It Is these permits that
make II dificult for local authorities
| 10 end the illegal trafic.
* As in the case already referred to.
The men were arrested for transport
ing liquors. but omeone who claims
10 be the owner OF the liquor comes
llong and shows a federal permit for
handling the stuff and the parties
under arrest are permitted to go
free.
That the law in this respect is
greatly abused there is no doubt. In
many instances It has been found
that liquors have been taken from
bonded warehouses on forged per-
mits. Fake medical C have
been organized to do the buying and
these concerns conveniently go out
Of business within a short time SC
hat they do not have to answer
when the dealer gives his report as
10 how he disposed of the stuff. Yet
/ has served the purpose of getting
lhe liquor out of bond.
In Perth Amboy, we r informed.
there are five dealers In liquors who
have federal permits ia carry on a
liquor business. These dealers hire
drivers and furnish the necessary
permits for transporting the stuff.
The idea that 1t requires five liquor
dealers to supply what alcoholic
beverages are needed in this city for
medicinal and sacramento purposes
IS ridiculous. Everybody knows
what kind of a trade is going on,
but with the federal permits floating
about so freely there is little upon
which to hold a mar when he is ar
Posted for Transporting the liquors.
The first remedy. then, for stop
ping all the lawlessness that is go
ing on is for the federal government
TO revoke all OF the licenses and per-
1nits that 1t has issued. Let the gov
iernment itself deal out what liquors
are needed for medicinal and sacra-
mental purposes.
But there is a branch of the liquor
trade that the local authorities can
take up with good results. Prose-
scutor Stricken is on the right track
IN his latest letter to the chiefs of
police OF the county. 1t is in re-
ference to the retailing of the liquors
In stores and saloons. We all know
there are numerous "drunks" on the
streets these days. Where do they
get the stuff? Doubtless the first
reply will be that they make it at
home. Some do, maybe. but do the
local authorities try to find out exact
" where they get It? There is good
reason to believe that a great deal
Of the stuff being drunk at the pres
nj time is secured somewhere else
besides in the home. Are the local
authorities rigidly investigating every
Ease that comes before them?
Prosecutor Stricken also is get
ting down TO the root OF the matter
when he requests from each chief of
police "a list of saloons which were
licensed prior to the prohibition law
and which are still used as drink
Ing places"
why is 1t that some Of the saloons
that went out of business when the
prohibition law first went into effect
ire said { o have reopened again I?
Why is 1t. with the sale of alcoholic
thinks absolutely prohibited that q
.reat majority of the saloons in thi,
lily are still doing an apparent,
~sourishing business?
Here. then, Is the work for tht
local authorities. The transports
Ion OF the liquors may be difficult Il
top as long as the federal govern
nent allows numerous permits II
very locality. but Judging from al
hat one hears and sees. it ought no
20 be difieult to stop a great dea
Il the Illegal traffic at retail. If tn
aw was strictly enforced in regar'
% saloons and hotels selling alec
aolic liquors there Is good reaso .
believe there would not be such
demand for federal permits to dee