The New York herald., 1921-05-09
40 POLICE CHIEFS
SAY THEY CANNOT
ENFORCE EDRYLAW
Admit Wetness Of Upstate
Cities in Letters to May
Ors' Association.
ACT HELD IN CONTEMPT
Measure Making Criminals
of Hitherto Decent
Citizens.
NEED MORE 'SQUEALERS'
Local Police Are Too Well
Known to Carry Out I'm
popular Statute.
NEED MORE 'SQUEALERS'
Special Despatch to THE NEw YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,

Special DeSpotch to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Albany, May 3.
Chiefs OF police Of forty New York
cities, in reply to a questionnaire sent
out by the New York State Conference
of Mayors, have replied that in their
opinion it is almost impossible to en-
force the State prohibition laws passed
at the last session Of the Legislature
and signed by Gov. Miller This list
includes many of the second class
cities of the State. In most cases the
police chiefs declare the principal rea-
son they cannot enforce the laws Is
they do not have sufficient policemen.
Another objection is that in the smaller
cities all of the policemen are known
and find it impossible to obtain evil
dence.
New York was one OF the few cities
which reported the law could be en-
forced by the regular Police Department
and without the employment OF private
detectives Others in this list include
falo. Oswego and Poughkeepsie. Among
the forty cities whose rolice chiefs say
Il is not possible to enforce the State
laws are Saratoga, Troy, Batavia. Boa-
con. Corning. Dunkirk. Glen Cove. Hor-
nell. Hudson. Glens Falls. Johnstown.
ithaca. Lockport. Mount Vernon. Platts-
burgh, Toaawanda, White Plains. Port
Jervis. Binghamton, Geneva, Mechanic
vile ard Newburgh.
A typical answer from many OF the
upstate cities was that sent by the Chief
OF Police of Amsterdam, who said that
ito enforce such an unpopular law as
the volatcad act you must first deveior
100 per cent. Americanism into 100 per
cent squeaier. for there Is no other way
to make 1t success" Most OF the
chiefs wrote they objected to the use OF
private detectives in cooperation with
the regular force. but they agreed that
without them not much progress could
be made in enforcing the law. The chief
of the Gloversvlle department said
strangers would have TO be hired to get
evidence and frequent change of per-
sonnel would be necessary.
From Kingston the Chief of Police
wrote that men who never before had
shown criminal traits are now engaged
in the liquor traffic, and declared the
lea son for this was the layity OF tho
Government officials In enforcing the
Volstead act
"The fear to violate Federal law
has passed" he said "and large num-
her formerly In fear OF Federal forces
are now boldly carrying on their crimi-
nal practices"
The chief of the North Tonawanda
police department wrote that in his
opinion the matter was strictly Fed
eraI affair and should be enforced by the
Federal authorities. The head Of the
Plattsburgh force suggested that prohi-
bition can be enforced only by men who
do not use liquor and who are paid such
large salaries that they cannot be
bribed and will not have to graft,
The White Plains chief said he did
not think II possible to keep the iden-
tity of the investigating officer secret.
while another chief declared IL was only
by accident that evidence was obtained.
"The general run or policemen" he
said. "are either disheartened over tho
present law or are not in sympathy with
it."