Pueblo chieftain., 1921-09-13

tho Bureau OF Internal Revenues
charged with the enforcement of the
Harrison Act and the volstead Law
| enforcement. This is being patterned
after the experience secured with drug
laws for many years past. But unless
grain alcohol they can make q small
fortune.
The Bureau Of Internal Revenue 10
aware OF many avenues of entrance
| for liquor from Canada. Boose Is now
regularly brought into the country in
| airplanes. the points of landing being
many miles away from tho border 50
as to allay suspicion. Tho extent Of
tho rum running from the iclarIs
bordering the South Atlantic Coast Ia
well known also. but the money pro-
vided for enforcement OF the Jaw has
been too small thus far to make any
serious dent in the activities OF these
rum runners.
a large part of the business OF en-
forcement has to do WITH moving
liquor about from city to city on
forged permits. Officers questioning
the movements of big quantities OF
liquor. and attempting to seize 1t, have
been confronted time and again with
permits showing apparently bona fde
Ownership OF the shipments. and ap-
parently perfect but actually forEed
permits to move specified quantities
from one place to another. Much OF
this liquor sold and moved on forged
permits is obtained from distilleries
which are noutinR the law.
Probably the worst result OF the dry
amendment and the Volstesd. law Is
the utterly constituencies money-mad
brand OF bootlegger who does not take
the trouble to get real whiskey or even
make n substitute containing pure
grain alcohol. but puts together q con-
coction containing the deadly wood
alcohol a little OF this terrible dose
means blindness, and little moro
means certain death. Tho newspapers
! every day contain accounts of deaths
resulting from drinking this poison.
but It is doubtful II there has been
case where the dispenser OF this stun
has received more than the penalty
prescribed by the Volstcsd law. As
matter of fact. a hootleegcr knowingly
selling this kind OF stun Is guilty of
plain murder.
GOVERNMENT HUNTS BIG GAME
The Bureau of Internal Revenue IS
not going after tho little fellow. the re-
taller of contraband and forbidden
booze This Ia not because OF any
| sympathy with him or his machina-
tions Regardless OF their pcrsonal
views on the subject. tho officials of
this bureau are sworn to detect and
prosecute violations OF the dry law.
and they do that To tho limit Of their
| funds and capacities. knowing II Is
| impossible to go after every Niolator.
| II has been found necessary to leave
the smaller offender to be dealt with
| by state and city authorities, and con-
| centratc attention on the wholesal.
liquor manipulation.
| A flying squadron has been organ
| lied. and is moved from city to city 30
try and break up tho booticgging sys-
1 L.. "a a do
important arrests In Baltimore. and
| went from there to New York. Some
arrests will bo made. but Baltimore In
| not dry nor will New York be. ReNc-
nuc officials know this. but plug away
at their Jobs ss hard as they can.
knowing that complete success can be
theirs only when proponderant PET
centagc OF public opinion Is In favor
OF hard and fast enforcement OF the
dry amendment.
| The attention Of tho Internal Rtvc-
nue Bureau IL directed toward the
rum smuggling along the Atlantic
Coast. particularly from the smaller
islands lying off the southern states.
Tho promise Of some action In the
near future against these smuggling
bootlcgEers has been made. and ar
rests may he looked for sometime dur
ing the autumn. II In admitted, tho.
that with the thousands OF naturnl
harborE along the South Atlantic and
CUR coasts. not n gFeat 0cdl can NC
accomplished. few Of the bog opcr-
ators may be caught. but there viii he
scores ready TO Etep into their places
attracted by the big fortunen which may
be made quickly In this illicit business
Right now tho situation is seen ~
officials about in this light--thc United
States has two long coss, lines. hllcJ
with nm. hsrbors for small boats. ii
has several thousands OF miles OF bor-
der. and LIQUOR win continue to come
in on all side. Just ss long az people
want II and psy for II. only reversal
of popular sentiment can dry up the