The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-13
FILTHY PLACES
FORM MAJORITY
Of OPIUM DENS
Glamour of Dreamy Smoking
Joints" Is Ripped Away
by Fact.
By MARGERY REX.


ny MhnOENx NGhs
Written for tho International New Service.
NEW YORK, Dec. 13.-The spell OF
the poppy grows stronger.
Opium smoking il on the increase in
New York city.
Certain districts contain dens where
poor humans lie fettered in wreaths of
smoke which arise lazily from elabor-
ate opium ''iayouts."
Opium-den--what the words sug-
eest! A wicked and gorgeous luxury.
q dim Oriental splendor. cushions of
cloud-like softness, deep piled rugs and
magnificent hangings. Thus fiction
writes Of the sumptuous "joint" where
q pipe and q pillow watt visitors of
to dangerous heavens.
But fact writes Of opium dens, too.
Fact writes on blotters in police sta
tons.
Fact records a. the predominating
feature-DIRT.
From no less q person than DIR.
cotics of the police department. We
have authority for the statement.
DIR. Simon Gives Some Facts.
"Such 'joints' are sordid. always. ]
want to. dispel the idea that they are
fascinating" says DIR. Simon.
Real dens have not even furniture
to garnish their squalor. Wet sheets
hang against the doors to keep the
fumes inside. The hangings do not
consume the smoke, but keep 1t from
leaking out and thus betraying what
Is going on within, as well as pre-
serving the atmosphere desired by
visitors. Often these sheets are wet
with vinegar to disguise the odor.
I'm all the many raids I have
witnessed on Joints where women
Of ths underworld gather. marvellous
hangings and the divans Of great
resillency do not exist.
Dirt is always the predominating
feature. There may be plain jap
mat on the floor and a, dirty mat.
trees upon that. Often the mattress
upon which smokers recline Is thrown
over horse This is a support
which holds up a narrow flat board.
Can't Afford Fine Furnishings.
Then there are places kept by
private individuals which can be had
for hop Larties. Most Of these
parties are formed among the white
lights. Tessis. Mamie. Jim and
Harry decide to go to the flat OF
some person whom they know will
rent them the place for q smoke;
Needless to say these establish
for the occupant must move often.
They contain whatever the unfortu-
nate who is running them happens
to pocsess.
But there is, one elaborate fea-
ture. the smokers pipe. Tobacco
smokers take pride in their meer-
schaums. They love to color them
and keep them.
1.-THE hop smoker dotes on his
pipe. II is often exquisitely carved.
Here is one with carat emeralds
studding it's surface"
The little affair in which to burn
opium attached to long ivory pipe.
looked as il carved from dark wal
nut. But the crab-shaped lamp was
Of dark Jade. against which the two
emeralds twinkled maliciously.
Two Classes Of Opium SmbolSers.
There are two classes Of smokers
who patronize these places. One
comes because the drug drives him
the other l. 'pleasure-smoker. He
says re likes the sensation but
would be angry IL you called him an
addict. He is one. nevertheless.
Inspector John Coughlin, possibly
the greatest detective in the United
States today. knowing every crook In
every line, told me that II you 20
to an opium parlor you are bound to
find some crook who has Just made
a big haul They go to sleep off
the nervous tension which has &C
complished the Job
Penalty Should BE Much Greater.
Discussing the proposed petition to
Congress which wQs outlined at the
Anti-Narcotic Commission in San
Francisco lately, DIR. Simon said:
"They propose a minimum penalty
of one year for drug dealers. I say
make II twenty years and rid the
country of this gentry.
I'VE must prevent exporting. 30
the same drug won't be smuggled
back to us from South America or
some other place. We should not
need in California.
1.-THE Parole Commission IL behind
me in believing that dealers should
be treated more harshly. We have
now a minimum of two years in the
penitentiary. But let me tell you Of
recent case in which q man was
sentenced to two years. He had
made $4,000 in a short time selling
drugs. He laughed at US and said: |
What do care for two years in |
jail?' OF course not. Why should |
he? He has a fortune to spend |
when he comes out. He ought to |
get twenty years.
I'VE should pass a law making |
drug selling a constructive treason |
against the life and liberty of the |
American people and make the pen |
atty from ten to twenty years. Then
IL would atop"