Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-15
AGENTS HERE Plan
DRY ENFORCEMENT
U. s. Will Be Like Desert of Sa-
hara After Midnight
Tomorrow
NO 0BSEQUIES PLANNED

Federal agents are making prepara-
tions for the rigid enforcement of the
constitutional amendment which goes
into effect tomorrow making the United
States bone dry nation. A meeting
of number of the officers for this dis
trict was held today in the Office of Lee
A. Crosson, who will see to the en-
forcement of the prohibition law in this
district.
The amendment becomes effective at
midnight tomorrow. Close watch will
be kept on all places where whisky was
formerly sold, and where it is likely to
be handled, and any vioators of the
rew law promptly arrested.
Federal agents from PHILADELPHIA,
Camden and Wilmington, Del. were
present at the meeting in the Federal
Building. Roy i. Daily will have
charge of the enforcement in Philadel-
phia. Mr.. Crosson has been touring
this federal district and making ar
rangements with his deputies to watch
closely for any violations.
All liquors stored in warehouses.
clubs, or any places outside private
homes must be removed before midnight
tomorrow or be confiscated by the gov
ernmept.
From coast to coast and from the
Gulf of Mexico to the northern border
lines the country will be dry.
The law is sweeping, definite and
comprehensive and vast legal ma
chinery has been set in motion to thor
oughly enforce it.
After eliminating all the legal re-
strictions against the use and sale of
liquor, the only thing that any one in
possession of it can lawfully do is to
drink it himself or give it to guests in
his home.
The United States is the first country
in the world to make such a broad,
sweeping law.
In Philadelphia the effects of prohi-
.bition are in evidence in all sections.
Scores of saloon properties are vacant
and dust covered, and many others are
selling their fixtures to buyers who will
launch forth with "dry' saloons. Ex-
cept for few private parties in some
of the exclusive clubs there will be no
obsequies over the final gasp of King
Alcohol.
Amendment Adopted in 1917
The constitutional amendment was
adopted by Congress on December IS.
1917, with the restriction that it would
he imperative unless ratified within
seven years. But at that time the dry
wave seemed to have considerable i'm
petus and thirteen months later the
amendment was ratified by the neces
sary numbeL of states.
The law itself covers many pages.
Stripping away the legal language it de-
clares that liquor cannot be made or
sold. 1t cannot be taken from your
home to a hotel, sent from one place to
another, or given away, and can only be
kept in your own home. Furthermore
it cannot be advertised, and government
agents who suspect its existence may
search any place but private home.
Persons having liquor in their pos
session, who desire to change their resi-
dence. must obtain a permit to move
the liquor to the house they intend to
occupy.
I4iquor.may be used for medicinal.
industrial. scientific or sacramental
purposes when permit is obtained.
Vast Loss to Country
The United States loses at least
$500 900 900 annually in taxes as re-
suit of prohibition apd hundreds of
thousands of people will be thrown out
of work. Some of these have already
entered other fields. but thousands who
specialized in making beer and liquors
are not equipped to follow lines of work
which will bring adequate pay.
There were approximately l0,OOO,O 900
gallons of liquor on hand when war
time prohibition went into effect, but
now, it is said, there are less than 2O,-
900 900 gallons in the country.
Enactment of constitutional prohibi
tion is the elimination of agitation
starting as far back as 1908. The move
ment began to take definite shape in
lS47 in the eastern part of the country.
Maine, the first state in line, went dry
in 1851. and was followed by Kansas in
1880, North Dakota in 1889 and other
states at intervals of few years.
The movement was accelerated by the
activities of hundreds of temperance aud
reform organizations. Incidentally. no
end of temperance lecturers dc-eloped.
Many of these, including Carrie Ma
tion. resorted to melodramatic and dras-
tic methods to kill off booze.
When wartime prohibition became eff
fective on last July l liquor dealers
throughout the country We're hopeful
that opportunity would be afforded to
dispose of their stocks and remove that
which was in bon resident Wilson
said that the ban on liquor would be
lifted when the peace treaty was rati-
fed, but this is still hanging fire, with
the dry wave about to engulf the coun-
try.
Although attacks on constitutional
Prohibition began in several states, the
anti saloon forces express confidence
that these will be futile.