New-York tribune., 1921-01-16


but in every instance, according to the
bureau head. there comes a new flood
of complaints. These always reouire a
new determination of what ia or what
is not product that can be used ns a
beverage.
"'rhe bureau fully comprehends the
Importance of industrial alcohol" Mr.
Kramer asserted. ut does not desire
to hamper or hinder its legitimate use,
put there are 50 many persons who will
drink any concoction that has kick
that we just have to be strict"
Mr.. Kramer said many manufactur.
ers OF patent medicines refuse to be-
lieve their product has become a popu-
lar prohibition beverage. They at-
tribute the increase in sales to an
awakening of the people to the formu-
las medical value.
But we know differently here" the
commissioner declares. "The alcohol
and not the medical potion contained
in those bottles is the reason for their
popularity. So the kick must be
taken out of such preparations or they
must be medicatcd to point where
the taste will not be pleasant"
Oar men have compelled menufac-
turers of some such medicines to cor
rect their products already, and the
we can get to them.
with. "kick" in them, however, has
convinced enforcement officials, Mr..
Kramer said, that the drinking done
now is simply the satisfaction of the
hang over" appetite. He believes it
is proof that social drinkings. the
have another one on-me kind Of con-
sumption, has definitely passed for
ever into oblivion.
"Of course, the Commissioner con-
tinded, there is still the social drink
ing in the homes wherever there is a
private supply. But the nightly party
drinking is gone.
81 have heard men saw thew would
take drink now when they never
thought of swallowing a drop while the
saloons were all about them. The
cause for that is found in the spirit of
adventure, born in most Americ ans 1t
will continue to cause some trouble,
rather indirectly, for while, but it
will gradually disappear"
Sees End Of BootIegger
Disappearance OF the "appette" of
the steady drinker also is predicted by
Mr.. Kramer, who foresees in that con-
nection practically the end of the boot
logger. He asserted that, while there
always would be some demand for
hard liquor" prohibition enforcement
in few years would have resolved it.
self into simple problem of vigilance.
guarding against the production of
moonshine and the patrolling of the
border and coasts against smuggling
Liquor smuggling, like the produc-
tlon of moonshine whisky, has de-
veloped into business of high profits
o1x - L T.
fact, revenue officers assert that the
value of liquor thus brought in ex-
ceeded the estimated worth of all other
smuggled commodities.
Mr.. Kramer said the enforcement
agents worst problem with respect to
liquor running" was in the Great
Lakes area and along the St. Lawrence
River section of the Canadian border.
1t has been difficult to curb, and the
end is not, yet. The profits are in
creasing as the local supplies decrease.
and this condition, the Commissioner
believes, means that greater effort at
enforcement must be concentrated
along borders of the country.
Moonshiner Problem
Port cities, especially along the At
lantic Coast, have given the bureau
trouble, for foreign mariners are will
ing to help Americans obtain quantities
of any kind of beverages no longer sold
here. But a weeding-ou of the en-
forcement staff, the elimination of
men who have not resisted the snug
Cling of liquor from foreign ships, is
expected by oGcials to correct that
condition eventually.
AS for the moonshiner. Mr.. Kramer
candidly stated that 1--WE always will
have some of him with u.s." Operating
in the mountain fastness, his still will
spring up again and again, but the head
of the dry forces is optimistic. He de-
clared the sentence had been read for
the moonshiner, too, and that the COM
bined forces of prohibition and internal
revenue could keep on his trail,as long
as Congress authorized employment Of
men for that purpose.