New-York tribune., 1921-04-28
Dry Campaign
Is Launched to
Clean Up State
Troopers Lead Raids Which
Begin i'm All Sections
With Aid of the Federal
Agents and Local Police
White Plains Is Invaded
Liquor Seized in Oneida;
Political Protection Is
Ignored by Mounted Men
From q staf CORRESPONDENT


ALBANY, April 27.--A statewide
drive to make New York State dry was
begun to-day. State troopers, Federal
prohibition enforcement agents and
police officials in various localities
started to wipe out the last remnant of
the saloon, and it's successor, the blind
tiger.
The drive is said to be the result of
complete understanding Of all the
forces of government charged with the
enforcement of the Volstead act and
its local auxiliary, the Mullan- Gage
State Enforcement act. The local Of
ficials. such as municipal police depart
their immediate heads, acting on the
implied instructions given them by
Governor Miller in his various talks
here on dry enforcement have, in most
cases, started to clean up the more
congested portions Of the common
wealth.
Where there is an unwillingness
shown on the part of the local officials
the state troopers or the Federal pro-
hibition enforcement agents will make
raids over their heads and clean house
for them.
The first inkling that the drive was
under way came this afternoon, when
Major George F. Chandler, commander
of the state troopers, announced here
that his force had started work this
morning to make the rural commune
ties dry, and had made arrests of al
legged bootleggers and seized huge guam
widely separated portions of the state
In White Plains, where reports had
been made to the state officials that
bootlegging was going on as openly
as IN New York City, the state troop
ers arrested saloonkeeper and seized
q large stock of whisky. Another pa
troll of troopers made arrests and large
seizures in Oneida County In both
counties upward Of $4,000 worth Of
contrabard liquor was seized before 8
o'clock this afternoon.
The state troopers have list of the
illicit sellers of booze throughout the
and graft have saved the bootleggers
from molestation by the local authori-
ties.
eve are going to wipe out the illicit
dives which have been thriving in small
cities and towns and on the outskirts
thereof" said Major Chandler. "My
men are working under a systematic
and carefully worked out plan which
is certain to succeed. We are not only
going to get the contraband liquor, but
the men who are selling it, and also the
drinkers of it. Each county in the
state is constantly under surveillance.
And each week, or several times each
week or more, counties will be visited
by different groups of troopers"
Flying squadrons Of Federal agents
will supplement the work of the state
troopers. One of these groups. under
command of "Honest Izzy" Einstein, is
now at work here.
When Governor Miller's attention
was called to the drive tonight and
he was asked to discuss it, he replied:
II haven't any comment to make on
IT,"
"Was the drive started after con-
slltation with you?"
"Major Chandler is charged with the
enforcing of all laws that come within
his jurisdiction" replied the Governor.
a haven't specifically talked with him
on this subject. You are the first to
inform me what his program is. l
have entire confidence that he will OBJ
serve the law. That is his job"