Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1920-06-12
STOP ILLEGAL
LIQUOR TRAFFIC
United States Internal Revenue
Head Warns VioIators Under
Supreme Court Decision.
WILL ENFORCE PENALTIES
Federal Enforcement and Calls
Citizens to Aid-Limit Put on
Home Brew.

Washington.-"The illegal traffic in
liquor must stop"
This warning to violators of the
Volstead act was issued by William M.
Williams, United States commissioner
OF internal revenue, who for some time
had been perfecting plans for a vigor-
Gus enforcement of the federal prohi-
bition law in the event of the validity
of that law being sustained by the
United States Supreme Court.
The constitutiOnality of both the
Eighteenth amendment to the Constitu-
ton and the national prohibition act
having been upheld by decision Of
that tribunal, Commissioner Williams
is ready to proceed with renewed
vigor with the enforcement of the law.
In a formal statement relative to the
action Of the Supreme Court and its
bearing on the work of his bureau, Mr..
Williams declared the immediate eff
feet" of the decision will be to "give a
decided impetus to enforcement"
Mr.. Williams spoke of the concern Of
the Internal Revenue Bureau about
heavy Withdrawals of liquor from bond
ut appears" he said, "that there
have been some forged permits, as well
as illegal use of permits legally grant
ed"
He said that he believed the method
Of issuing and handling permits
which Is now being perfected and
which will be in use in few days, will
remedy that situation"
The statement issued by Commits
sioner Williams follows:
The immediate effect Of the decision
Of the Supreme Court of the United
States declaring the Eighteenth amend
ment to the Constitution and the ma
tiOnal prohibition act constitutional
will be to give decided impetus to
the enforcement of the prohibition law.
1t has been truly said that the sue
cessful administration of. any law de-
ponds upon public sentiment. The
American people are a law-abiding peo-
pie. Their sentiment is to demand the
observance Of the prohibition law as of
all other laws.
Citizens who have heretofore pas
sively acquiesced in the prohibition act,
pending the decision of the United
States Supreme Court, may now be de-
pended upon to become active in CO.
operating with federal, state and munic-
ipal authorities in its enforcement.
In communities where attempts are
made to defeat or thwart the law, pub
lie ,opinion-the opinion of the law
abiding citizens, always in the majority
will be of great aid in bringing to
swift justice violators Of the law.
The bureau is advised that, not
withstanding the fact that the national
prohibition act has been in effect since
January, 1920, there are many persons
who are not familiar with the double
taxes and penalties which the law re-
quires to be imposed upon violators.
The law makes it mandatory upon the
commissioner of internal revenue to
impose certain double taxes and penal
ties upon evidence" Of illegal manu-
facture or sale.
These additional taxes are separate
and apart from fines which may be i'm
posed by the courts, and have no con-
nection with the prison sentences
which may be given under the law.
For instance, person manufacturing
and selling, in violation of federal and
state statutes, ten gallons of distilled
spirits, might be liable without court
proceedings to maximum assessment of
taxes and penalties amounting to $S,-
12425.
! The liability Of the "bootlegger" or
operator Of "blind tiger" for assess
ment of taxes "upon evidence" apart
from any court proceedings is also in
teresting. Such persons violating the
federal and state laws would be SUBJ
ject to the following maximum taxes
and penalties: $500 under the national
prohibition act, $1,000 under the reve-
nue. act of 1918, $50 under section 3,244,
revised statutes, and $256.25 under sec
ton 3,176 revised statutes, making
total of $3,S06.25.