The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-04-08
HARD TASK AHEAD
FOR DRY OFFICERS
ENFORCEMENT OF PROHIBITION
FAR FROM EASY
Federal Commissioners Tells Senator
Capper of Work Accomplished
and to Be Done.

and to Be Done.
Washington, March 31.-Difficul
ties in enforcing national prohibition
include hostile public sentiment, lacl
Of cooperation by the states, bootleg
ging on the borders and issuance o.
too many dealers permits, according
to John F. Kramer, federal prohibi
ton commissioner. What he term:
as his "honest views" on prohibition
were given by Mr.. Kramer in letter
to Senator Capper Of Kansas ane
made public today by the latter.
Commenting on charges that liquo,
was being sold openly by 1913 New
York saloons, Mr.. Kramer detailed
the problems of the "dry" enforce
ment authorities.
''In view of all these conditions
and circumstances" said Mr.. Kram'
er,: 81 believe we have made remark
able progress during the year or more
in. which the national prohibition act
has been in existence. We still have
much to do and will have for years
to come. You can't turn the current
Of history overnight. Anything that
has fastened itself upon political, &C.
enonaic and personal history of our
country as has the liquor traffic can
not be removed in a day or year"
j. No Radical Revision.
> Mr.. Kramer said the Volstead law
itself was sound, that he was not ad-
vocating any radical revision of the
law by congress and that enforce
ment problems largely were admins
trative.
Too many permits for medicinal
preparations containing alcohol were
issued originally, Mr.. Kramer said.
These have been reduced. Permits
idr manufacturing industrial alcohol
also are being curtailed and refused
I'd those selling illegitimately.
Summing up, Mr.. Kramer said he
believed failures Of enforcement dur
i1g the past year were educ to the
administration of the law more than
they were to the law itself"
Among recommendations made by
the prohibition director to tighten up
enforcement was: Removal Of whis-
key to a few large and well guarded
storehouses; increase of prohibition
agents on the canadian and Mexican
borders, and enactment Of prohibi'
tion codes by all the states .,
TO the specific charge that 1913 sa'
looms in New. York are violating the
law openly, Mr.. Kramer wrote Sena-
tor sCapper that "there are places in
New York city where liquor is sold
more or less openly but in none as ii
wa. sold prior to prohibition
\ The bulk of the people, Mr.. Kra'
mer explained, must favor enforce
ment before substantial headway can
be; made and this sentiment he said
was largely absent in New York and
some other communities.
y Many Men Discharged
Mr.. Kramer said that while con-
gress had been criticised for provid'
ing inadequate prohibition enforce,
ment funds, he was disappointed" II
the reduction of deficiency appropri'
ations, which necessitated discharge
of about $50 men.
sBut / believe" Mr.. Kramer con
tinued, "that the appropriation made
for the next fiscal year of s7,5OO,ooe
is sufficient to enable the federal gov
ernment to carry on the work which
it is. possible to do"
Mr.. Kramer said the government
had 'tto a considerable extent lack
ed help upon the part of state ane
local authorities" This condition, he
said, was improving and with new
state codes being adopted much pro
hibition litigation would be diverted
from federal to state or police courts
In the end, he said, the bulk of en-
forcement work must be done by the
states themselves.
The government, Mr. Kramer wrote
has been loath to interfere with
"home brew" activities. "This," he
said, tto my mind is fad, and ad
venture. Many who have engaged in
it have already ceased, and it will, as
view it, die out from it's own re-
suits" The department, Mr.. Kra'
mer added, also has been uncertain
regarding the manufacture Of cider
and fruit juices in the home.
johnson had been one of the most