The New York herald., 1921-04-23
Has 400 Men Exclusively on
Job, Wants 1000 More and
Is Ruffled at Hint About
Crime Wave.
2 TEST SUITS NEXT WEEK
Blind Tiger Raided OH East
Side-Jews Are Deprived of
Passover Wine-Magis-
trate Censures Police.

Seven hundred saloons, it was esti-
mated yesterday by Police Commits
sioner Enright, have closed their doors
since the enforcement of the State law
was begun in New York city. No
definite figures for Manhattan are
available, but In Brooklyn alone 100
saloons have gone out Of business
since the police took up their task.
The Commissioner said that figures
gotten together week ago showed
4,222 such places in operation. This
number has been reduced to approx
mately $500. Up to yesterday 1850
arrests had been made.
Mr.. Enr1ght, in a full discussion Of
the prohibition situation with news
paper men, made it plain that he in
tends to use every power at his dis
posal in the enforcement of the Null
ian-Gage law, and that enforcement
by the police will continue unabated,
no matter what results are met with
when cases are tried.
The Commissioner announced his in
tention Of writing to the presiding Judge
of General Sessions and requesting that
preferment on the calendar be speedily
given to several liquor cases. in order
that violators of the law may be made
TO realize as soon as possible that pro-
hibition by the State Is prohibition with
teeth In II.
When the Commissioner was asked II
he had any particular message to give to
the public with respect to prohibition he
replied:
81 have a message for the saloonkeep-
ers of this city. It's short and to the
point. and it's this: mean business
The ginmill keepers are on their last legs
They don't seem to realize it, but they
soon will"
VIII Fight to Highest Court.
The liquor dealers in New York city
mean to test the constitutionality OF the
new State liquor laws. and they are pre-
pared to carry the fight through to the
United States Supreme Court IL neces-
sary. The first test will be made before
Judge Mcintyre In General Sessions next
Friday. when argument will be heard on
. demurrer interposed by Jacob Lasker,
attorney. at 2o6 Broadway. to the indict-
ments returned against Frank Betreto
and Louis Cnterfrcdo, the firss two men
Indicted under the new law. They were
arrested for having wine in their posses
sion al restauranet in Mott street.
Yesterdays conference with Commits
sioner Enright marked his abandonment
OF the say nothing policy which he has
held toward the newspapers for the last
Two years. Hereafter he will hold a
similar conference every Friday after
noon. His manner yesterday was
distinctly cordial II was ruffied only
once, when a reporter asked him II IL
were not true that the burden Of pro-
nibition enforcement was interfering
somewhat with the quieting OF the crime
wsvt ana t.s performance or other po-
lice duties.
The Commissioner replied a bit testify
that "the crime wave has gone back
where Il started FROM" but volunteered
10 explanation concerning It's origin.
Then in answer to the question he added
that he couldn't see how the Police
Department is TO stand the pressure
brought upon II by the new work. un-
less aid in the form OF additional men
and funds is forthcoming.
-Four hundred men," he said. ARE
giving their full time to this liquor
business. and most OF the other men
in the department are giving part OF
their time to 1t. ! can very readily
see that II was Impossible for the Fed
eral authorities to put the volstead act
across unaided All the agents thoy
have in the country wouldn't be able
.mFA n
New York is drier now than people
imagine" the Commissioner went on.
but II the job is TO be done UP brown
and the enlargement OF other laws IL
not 10 suffer. I've got to have more
men. The additional 1000 I have asked
for could be trained inside OF sixty-fve
days trained the 500 got for the
crime wave in that time, and 1000
would be just as easy
Could Clincb Lid IN Two Months.
The Commissioner wns asked for his
estimate of the time lt would take 70
make New York a really dry city. pro-
vided he gets his men and provided
the ciogging OF the courts In relieved.
1T could be done inside OF two
months" he answered. Mind you,
don't mean there wouldn't be infrac-
tions of the law even at the end OF
that time. just as there are always
infractions OF any other law But I
feel sure that flagrant violations OF
he liquor law would pretty nearly
have ceased Even now there is very
little liquor being Illegally transported
about New York and Illegal sales are
becoming too dangerous. But whether
get the men or I don't, I'm going
full steam ahead"
And in line with that policy Mr..
Enright announced that IN saloons and