New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-09-24
Coler' Charges
u. s. Fails to
Back Dry Law
(Continued from page one)

wolf, in order that his own failures
may not be known. He has DESTROYED
the veraeity and respectability of the
league in the State of New York"
Il hoped to be entirely free to speal
here this afternoon" Commissio nel
Coler said in delivering his speech :"
did not seek the address, was in.
vited. l am here for business and te
get results. Whatever l say or do TO,
the Eighteenth Amendment it is in ne
way, no shape or form countenancine
the Anti Saloon League Of New York. Il
is the only league in the United States
that does not let man have his own
religious beliefs. will, therefore. read
that portion of my address that does
not refer to the New York Anti-Sa loon
League and then amplify it if you will
| permit me-"
Commissioner Coler declared the in
| crease in hospital cases of alcoholics
was due entirely "to the freedom with
which l., alcohol is dispensed in New
York" He charged that the Federal
government was issuing permits and
licenses to public dance halls to dis
tribute liquor for medicinal purposes. ;"
Dance Hall Violations
"You know as we'll as l know that
the extreme violation of the law in the
City of New York could never be &C
complished without the authorities at
Washington knowing about it," Mr..
Coler said. "You know that the pro-
prietors of saloons and gardens, which
are merely places of pleasure, would
not be licensed to handle liquor for
medical purposes without the authori-
ties in Washington being aware or it,
and you know that these places did not
obtain their licenses to dispense liquor
for medicinal purposes.
II have taken it up with the present
Administration, and l want to say if
they don't get busy there will be a
worse scandal in the going out of this
Administration than there was in the
old whisky ring of twenty-five years
age. | say that as q Democrat. l am
after the men in high places, and we
will reach into the heart of the gov
eminent itself to- accomplish perma-
nent results. If this government does
not want to go out in disgrace it has
got to get on the job right now.
The present type of enforcement of
the law in this country is bound to in
crease the spiritual unrest. Rich men
IN clubs, high officials of the state and
nation, aid each other in violating the
law without any attempt whatever by
the Federal government to reach people
in high authority. They have caught
hundreds of small fry, but men in
great positions have been let alone. The
very people who are violating the law
to the greatest extent are the loudest
to cry against Bolshevism and Social
ism: They are also the first to give the
young man a drink at their home or
club. To my mind. they are the great
est violators Of the law. Until public
sentiment is so thoroughly aroused
that the government reaches among the
big fish, even of its own kind, there will
not be any real improvement in the
situation"
Commissioner Colcr said the i'm
mediate effect Of nationwide prohibi-
ton in the city of New York was
almost miraculous. "Patients in alco-
holic wards in hospitals" he said
vanished to the point that rooms were
used for other purposes. The saloon
keeper was afraid and the bootlegger
10 this was added the wide publicity
gwen to deaths caused by wood alcohol. !
Certain types were frightened for a
time from taking anything. Strange
as 1T may seem, during this period
have been unable to find any appre-
ciable increase in drug addicts.
However, as time goes by the care
less and wanton non-enforcement of
the law has caused such an increase
OF alcoholic patients that it has been
necessary to reopen the wards in the
two great hospitals IN the City of
New York that care for such cases
Bellevue, in the Borough of Manhattan. |
and Kings County, in the Borough Of
Commissioner Coler then read a re-
port from George O'Hanlon, general
medical superintendent of Bellevue
Hospital, showing that from January /
to August 25, 1920. Lib men and ESQ
women were admitted to the alcoholic
wards there. DR.. Hanlon's report said
the patients without exception say
it is possible to buy liquor anywhere
in Manhattan or on Staten Island with
out difficulty if you have the price"
Included in Commissioner Coler's ad-
dress was a comprehensive analysis, by
DR.. Mortimer L. Jones, medical super
intendent of Kings County Hospital, of
alcoholic cases admitted to that in.