New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-04-16
City Balks at
Fund to Obtain
Dry Law Proof
Request for $36,32O to Pay
Chemists Blocked: Smith
and La Cuardia Declare
Enforcement Impossible
Court Dockets Swamped
Search Warrant Refused to
Patrolman; Question of
Selling Ships Arises

Because they believe the present
state prohibition law is impossible
Of enforcement Deputy Comptroller
Henry Smith and President F. II. La
Guardia of the Board of Aldermen
Yesterday blocked the request Of
Grover A. Whalen to the Board of
Estimate fer an appropriation Of
ss6.32e TO engage ten additional chem
ists FOR analysis of the liquor samples
collected by the police.
Commissioner Whalen said that the
city laboratorv was swamped with evi-
dence brought in by the police for
ANALYSIS and that the present force Of
the laboratory could not do the work
Al the present rate of seizure, the
Commissioner said. 1t would be neces-
sary TO analyze upwards of 5000
samples a month.
Deputy Comptroller Smith said he
did not consider it was the duty Of
the Comptroller to provide money for
the attempt to enforce an impossible
Federal law. even though the request
came from the state.
Mayor Says Law Must Be Enforced
MAYOR Hylan declared that he was
determined to have the law enforced
according TO statute, remarking that
the Comptroller was aware that the
notice must make arrests, as we'll as
hat they must present proper evil
dence in order to secure CONVICTIONS
az the eases are thrown out of court
for want of evidence" said Mayor
Hyian. criticism is directed at the de-
partment. do not propose that this
Shall be- 1t is our duty TO enforce
the law as it stands on the statute
books"
Major La Guarda. in obiecting to
the appropriation, said he was in Con
gress when the prohibition act was
passed and that if the government had
tried to provide means for enforcement
i. would have required draft to Sc
cure enough agents.
at is an impossible law" said Mr.
La Guardia, land with deficit of ST.
100000 for school uses confronting US
we should not make any such appro-
pration as is requested / am in IA
vor Of enforcing the law so far as the
cisy's ability and resources will per
nit. but ] don't know where the money
Is to come from
Borough President Van Name Of
Richmond said he thought the law
ought to be enforced, while Frank X.
Sullivan, Commissioner of Public
Works IN queens. informed Commits
sioner Whalen that he was not sup
posed to enforce the prohibition law
but to operate to the extent Of his re-
sources. Mr.. Sullivan considered that
tina whole thing was up to the Police
Department. Comptroller Craig told
the board that the only way TO raise
money for such purpose was TO issue
special revenue bonds, a plan he OPP
posed.
iEeraf Departments Disor xanized
1t was learned yesterday that AS
sistant District Attorney Unger will
request two additional grand luries TO
consider liquor indictments. Courts,
the district attorneys offices, police
stations and other city departments are
ina state of Reorganization due to eff
forts to enforce the liquor law. The
weight of evidence under which public
officials are staggering consists of the
following, gathered since police en-
forcement of the liquor law began:
One pot, one container, one keg. one
pitcher, two glasses, ten jugs, fifteen
cans, nineteen demijohns, one copper
still, 476 bottles, mostly pints, and 105
barrels
Seven hundred arrests have been
made, seyenty-one persons have been