The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-07-17
PLAN INCREASE
OF DRY AGENTS
IN NO. DAKOTA
Northwest Chief Plans to Ask
Immediate Increase to Es-
tablish Border Patrol
OUTLINES BASIC NEEDS
Minneapolis Office of Enforce
ment Division Shows Great
Increase in Short Time.

Minneapolis, July i17.-Rapid in
crease in the size and activities o,
the prohibition enforcement offices
in Minneapolis to a position well in
advance of any other federal offices
in the city, is reflected in the All
nouncement that fifth separate o.
flee will be established on the second
floor of the post0ffice building mex,
Monday to accommodate Paul D. Kel-
Ter, divisiononal chief.
A little more than five months ago
during the first week in February, Mr.
Price opened the first prohibition Of
flee here, with one stenOgrapher and
four agents. Today, in the five sep
arate offices, in addition to the super
vising officers, there are 70 agents
and II stenographers working in Min
neapolis. The entire force approx
imates 100 persons.
Departments All Increase
The larger part of the force is
working in the enforcement branch Of
the prohibition department. The force
of four agents with which Mr.. Price,
group chief, started five months ago,
has grown to 20. "A force of about 40
agents is working under Mr. Keller's
direction in the five states of Minneso>
ia, Iowa, North and South Dakota,
and Montana. Jesse G. Steeso1,
state director, who handles permits
to druggists and physicians, started
in February with one inspector and
two stenOgraphers. Today he has
six inspectors and an office force OF
five persons.
Mr.. Miller, accounting chief, who
recently opened his offices in Mime.
apolis, has charge of the accounts in
two divisions, the Northwest and the
West divisions, including 10 states.
He has several field agents und Or
his direction. Mr.. Bransay, narcotic
chief has force of four trained in
spectors and two stenographers.
Organization of an active and eff
cient force of agents to enforce pro.
hibition has now been made all
through the United States, Mr.. Ke.-
ler said yesterday, upon his return
from Washington where he attended
conference of the II heads Of pro
hibitiOn districts.
More Agents Asked
Mr.. Keller outlined four basic needs
for the Northwest division to John F..
Kramer, prohibition chief, who presid-
ed at the conference in the absence
of w. M. Williams, international Rev.
enue director They we're as follows:
Immediate increase of the force
of agents in Minnesota and
North Dakota, to permit estab-
lishment of a special border pat
rol. He asked that this patrol
be equipped with steam launches
for use on the Mississippi, Rainy
lake and Racing rivers.
Permission to create a special
force for exclusive attention to
the rural districts. Equipped
with automobiles and motorcyc-
les, these men would run down
stills which are said to be Operat-
ed extensively in remote country
districts.
Reconsideration of every ,prohi-
bition agent as deputy United
: States marshal, to facilitate ar
rest of violators and confisiation
of stills and liquor.
Arrangements for making easi-
er the obtaining of search war
rants by agents. The present
complicated machinery often de-
lays search and seizure and en-
ables viOlatOrs to escape.
These requests, with those made
by other divisional heads, will be
acted upon by the treasury tdepar:.
ment as rapidly as they can be ap'
proved.