The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-04-01
HARD TASK AHEAD
FOR DRY OFFICERS. R ) !.
\ .f., ...a- =
ENFORCEMENT OF PROHIBITION
FAR FROM EAsY-~FEDERAL
COMMISSIONER TELLS sENA-
TOR CAPPER OF WORK Ac-
coMPLIsHED AND TO BE DONE
LETTER FROM KRAMER !!

e g .. 4
/ LETTER FROM KRAMER IS
Washington, March Difficult
ties in enforcing national prohibit
tion include hostile public sentiment,
lack. of cooperation by the states,
'bootleggng on the borders and Is
suance of too many dealers permits,
according to John F. Kramer, federal
prohibition commissioner. What he J
terms as his 'honest views" on pro-
hibition were given by Mr.. Kramer
in letter to Senator Capper Of Kan
sas and made public today by the
latter. ~ "a. ~.
Commenting on charges that IL
quor was being sold openly by 1898
New York saloons, Mr.. Kramer de-
;ailed the problems of, the "dry" en-
forcement authorities. n
I'm view Of all these conditions
and circumstances" said Mr.. Kram-
er, az believe we have made remark
able progress during the year or
more in which the national prohibi-
ton act Mas been in existence. We.
still have much to do and will have
for years to- come. You can't turn
the current Of history overnight.
Anything that has fastened itself
upon political, economic and personal
history of our country as has. the !
liquor traffic can not be removed in
j day or year" !a.i' z
: No Radical Revision.
Z MIR. Kramer said the Volstead law
itself was sound, that he was not adj
Ivocating any radical revision of the
law by congress- and that enforce
ment problems largely were admins
tratiye. ~ ~ II
Too many permits for medicinal
preparations containing alcohol were
issued originally, Mr.. Kramer said.
These have been reduced, Permits
for manufacturing industrial alcohol
also are being curtailed and refused
to those selling illegitimately.
Summing up, Mr.. Kramer said he
believed failures of enforcement dur
ing the past year were "due to the
administration of the law more than
they were to the law ITSELF"
Among recommendations made by
the prohibition director to tighten up
enforcement was; Removal Of whis-
sey to few large and well guarded
storehouses; increase of prohibition
agents on the Canadian and Mexican
borders and enactment of prohibition
codes by all the states. =. -.
To the specific charge that 393.
saloons in New York are violating the
law openly, Mr.. Kramer wrote Sena-
tor Capper that "there are places in.
New York city where iquor<is sold
more or less openly but in none as
It was sold prior to prohibition"
The bulk of the people, Mr.. Kra-
mer explained must favor enforce
ment before substantial headway can
be made and this sentiment he said
as largely absent in New York and
some other communities. ,. -
Many Men Discharged.
Mr.. Kramer said that while con-
gress had been criticised for provid-
ing inadequate prohibition enforce
ment funds, he was disappointed" in
the reduction of deficiency appropri-
ations, which necessitated discharge
cf about $50 men.
"But I believe" Mr.. Kramer con-
9inued, "that the appropriation made
for the next fiscal year, of $7,500,0O0
is sufficient to enable the federal
government to carry on the work
which it is possible to do"
Mr.. Kramer said the government
lad "to a considerable extent lack
d help upon the part of state and
zeal officials" This condition he
aid, was improving and with new
tate codes being adopted much pro-
ibition litigation would be divert
4 from federal to state or police
ourts. In the end, he said, the bulk
o,forcanont uvork rn,1st he done