Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-01-10

the New Year was just a. wet, with
prohibition in force, at It was last
year when there were no restric-
lions. Just as many hotels were
serving. though not selling it, just
~ large = portion Of the public had
to be assisted home, and just as
many individuals rose late the next
afternoon with that familiar heady
but relaxed feeling.
The agents Of the internal rev.
enue bureau were out in full force,
vigilantly watching for any in
fringement Of the law, but in many
cases they appeared to be near
sighted. Most Of the large hotels
were unwilling to take q chance on
selling strong beverage, but the
guests were invited to bring their
own supplies, and In a few In
stances the hotels presented high
balls and wine to their guests, with
the compliments Of the season. The
fact that the diners paid min
imum of SO for the meal and that
the tips to walters rose to spectac-
ular heights did not contradict the
truth that the liquor was being
given away.
The chief Of the internal revenue
forces here said SO himself. There
is nothing in the law that can pre-
vent one man from giving another
a drink" he declared, when that
man happens to be an old time
friend. But when money is passed
and It appears that payment for
other articles is made merely as a
subterfuge for selling the liquor,
we'll, II an arrest is made the bur
den Of proof to show that the gift
was genuine one will rest upon
the seller and the buyer"
The hotels, in which this prac-
tice was observed, are not the
slightest bit worried about the bur-
den OF proof, however. They seem
to feel perfectly confident that they
can prove the staunch friendship
existing between them and each
SuCbI " WuUA tACy pASoSdtSu q
bottle of wine.
In the Greenwich village section,
indeed, guests were even invited to
come back to receive some more
gifts when the New Years excite
ment had subsidized and the internal
revenue officers became trifie less
restless. In one cafe, serving
bottles of strong beverage as a
compliment to those paying large
cover charge, and where, along to
wards midnight the walters were
the only sober persons present, sew
eral promises of future generosity
were made by the management.
II wonder if you happen to have
any sparkling burgundy in your
cellar" whispered a guest to the
manager, as he took his New Years
gift out Of an ice filled container.
Sure" replied the manager
"Come back some time later, and
I'll see what we can do for you"
How much?" inquired the guest
ION that night" said the man.
ager slowly, II think We will
charge $40 per cover"
Thus, so far, prohibition in this
particular metropolis is largely a
matter Of talk. Everybody is hav-
ing a splendid time telling every
body else what he thinks about it,
suggesting clever means of cir
cumventing it, and planning whole
revolutions against it, meantime
patronizing mis- closet, cellar or
secret source with the same reg
ularity and zeal. One by one, every
prominent citizen in all the Dor
oughs of New York is being given
an opportunity to express himself
on the subject, even in print. The
latest is DR.. Nicholas Murray But
Ter, president of Columbia univer-
sity, who sets the following impec-
cable example of his contemporary
les:
"I have long believed the saloon
to be public nuisance that should
.. be abated," he says. II have not
supported prohibition for the rea-
son that I did not believe 1t either
a just or proper way to deal with
the problem. Contrary views have
prevailed, and the 18th amendment
has been proclaimed to be part OF
the fundamental law of the land. As
such it has the same claim to the
respect and obedience of the people
as other provisions of the constitu-
! ton Of the United States. Prohi-
bition may still be debated in con-
gress or argued in the courts, but
for the executive department it is
closed issue. Ours is a govern
ment Of laws, not of men,"
But the New Yorker remains IN.
convinced. He still cherishes the
belief that his personal liberty is
his divine right as ar American
citizen, and that in this particular
instance the constitution has some
how Numbered and contradicted it.
self.