Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-31

cult as Keeping uQchS itotta
Il swimming when there are weed
hottomed ponds all about them.
To keep this country in an absolutely
dry condition. boozically speaking, it will
be necessary to have dry agents picketed
all along the Canadian border from
Maine to the Pacific ocean in order to
stop the smuggling of liquor from
Canada. Similar agents must also be
stationed all along the southern bounda-
California to prevent the thrifty sons OF
Montezuma and their equally thrifty
American brothers from transporting
whisky across the ''Silv'ry Rio Grande'
into this country.
The state of Florida, famed for ITS
tourists, oranges, sponges. cigars and
turtles. will require a large crew Of dry
agents on horseback, in boats, In autos,
in airplanes and on foot to break up
the smuggling Of hard" turntables from
the numerous islands of the West Indies.
The hundreds Of small inlets that abound
on the coast of Florida make it most
convenient haven for the safe smuggling
of thousands Of gallons Of the forbidden
juice. And, by the way. it is amusing to
note that the piratical gentlemen who
are SO busily engaged 10 boating the
''tonsil varnish'' into Florida inlets have
appropriately renamed the famous group
Of islands whence their treasure-like
cargoes originate. They are now sHiI-
ingly referred to as the Wet" Indies.
After the above mentioned thousands
of-miles long boundaries and the Florida
inlets are carefully prohibition ACCENTED.
then comes the real man's-size job Of
prohibition asenting the 3,5o0,000 square
miles of territory comprising the forty
eight states Of this country.
Ponder over it for a moment and you'll
admit that it's a fairly stable job the
lawmakers have cut out for some one.
John F. Kramer, who halls from the
same state as iris Speakers ball club.
the three White House desireFs and Mr..
Baker. is the United States official who
Is wrestling with the perpiexing problem
definitely on the map and making Con-
gresham Volstead's famous law SO eff
ficiently effective that America will con-
tain no liquids other than creek. river.
well and rain water. tea, coffee and the
rapidly growing assortment of soft con-
coctions.
To carry on this national program
Mr.. Kramer now has at his disposal
1000 dry agents. $50 clerks and other
)employes. and an annual appropriation
Realizing the enormousness of his
task and the smallness Of his equip
ment in the way of agents and funds.
the writer was puzzled to understand
how the proposition could be satis-
factorily handled. Thinking that he
sistance from other sources. the inter-
viewer asked Mr.. Kramer this ques-
ton:
Are you receiving whole hearted
SUPPORT In the enforcement Of prohi-
fhR0u oh nt thA connfrV Huhn worA "a
noticeably insistent in bygone years
in the passage Of state prohibition
laws. the adoption Of the eighteenth
amendment and the enactment OF the
mo. I am not" was his emphatic
reply. as he suddenly shifted his
swivel chair SO as to add pep to his
statement by looking the writer
squarely in the eye.
.cA,e large m Ts5o.its OF the kind Of
got the idea in their head that the
whole prohibition question was solved
and became a satisfactorily closed in
cident the moment the eighteenth
stead act placed on the statute books.
Many Of them seem to take the posi-
ton that their efforts and responsible
ty ceased with the production of the
desired laws, and from that moment
forward they could forget all about
~
things leaving the colossal enforce
ment work solely in the hands of this
office.
mistaken.
"In order to properly and satisfac-
torily enforce prohibition and make
America absolutely bone dry, 1t will
be necessary for the prohibition ele-
ment in every local community from
one end Of this country to the other
nj nd
busy. and be as eterna1ly dilieent,
vigilant. persistent and active in the
enforcement of the law as they were
in the passage OF the law.
ut is unfair OF them to expect q
comparatively few agents from WASH
ington to police every little commu.
nifty in the land. Section % OF the
Volstead act is perfectly clear in Civ
state or subdivision thereof authority
to enforce the provisions of the law
and there il not the least doubt but
what such officers will gladly perform
their duty the moment the people in
each locality become active in the
arouse public sentiment. and get in
behind the public officers with such
sentiment. and render them all pos
sible help in UNFOLDING the law. It
Is uHFcdSouduAS " eApccl IocAi oNi'
GERS to assume all responsibility for
law enforcement and the law-abiding
element to manifest little or no in
terest."
what is the legal status of the
man or woman who INDUCES in lit
tel home brewing within the confines
of their own domiciles?" was the next
question asked Mr.. Kramer.
The home brewer has no legal
status whatsoever" was the. prompt
response. "If his brew contains more
than one-half of l per cent alcohol
he Is just as much a violator OF the
law as the mountaineer moonshiner or
any other person operating a still.
When a home brewer is caught, and
We expect to get after them to as
great an extent as possible. he will
much as six months in prison for the
first offense. and If he should brew .
second time the punishment would be
a prison sentence Of from one month
to nye years. plus fine OF from 5000
Tho surprising quantities Of LIQUOR
localitier. Mr.. Kramer attributes to
DO due. in large measure. to the slick
forging of government permits for the
removed Of whisky from the various
400 distilleries and bonded warehouses
Of the country. particularly those To-
Gated in remote sections.
very cieveriy done and much whisky
reached the public before the fraud
was unearthed by the government
agents. That particular leak has now
been plugged through the Issuance Of
instructions directing all custodians
of distilleries and warehouses to COM
municate by wire or letter with the