The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1922-05-05
Actual Results Show Law Can
Be Made to Work
OFFICIALS DECLARE
LAW IS ENFORCEABLE
Experience Makes the Question No
Longer Debatable
HEAVY PENALTIES NOW IMPOSED

Can the law be enforced? For
months wet propaganda has been de-
signed to destroy public confidence ir
the enforceability of Constitutional
Prohibition. AS part of the wet pro-
gram the interests favoring return
of the liquor traffic have been attempt
ing to break down the morale of the
dry forces by making it appear that
Prohibition enforcement is hopeless
undertaking. But what are the facts
Is it true that Prohibition cannot be
enforced? Is it true that violations
are more frequent and unpunshed
than ever before? Reports from var
ious parts of the country indicate that
Prohibition is being enforced with in
,creasing effectiveness. Officials also
basing their statements on experience
under the Prohibition laws declare
thatProhibition can be enforced.
Federal Courts Convict Many
With the advantage of experience
in the prosecution of cases federal
district attorneys are securing better
results than was the case while the
law was new. 1t took some time tc
organize the work of federal prosecu-
tions. Since lawbreakers can organ
ize more quickly than enforcement
agencies it was but natural that for a
time the government forces should
fail to do their work as effectively as
is now possible.
Commissioner Haynes reports that
in the federal courts for the six months
preceding April IS: there have beer
1900 indictments against defendants
charged with violating the Prohibition
law and out Of these indictments 5000
convictions were obtained and fines
collected aggregating approximately
100000.
State Courts Also Convict
The assertion that juries will not
convict liquor law-breakers has been
made so long and so persistent1y that
many have accepted its truth. The
records, however, prove that juries
will convict when the evidence is suf-
fcient.
Figures recently compiled by the
~Anti-Saloon League of New York for
the calendar year of 1921 show that
juries acquitted only in So per cent OF
the cases disposed of in the state
courts.
In the federal courts the juries ac-
quilted only 22 per cent of the cases
disposed of. Four thousand two hun
dred and five of the 6,7s6 cases in the
state and federal courts i'll New York
were disposed of in 1921, and IS per
cent of these cases resulted in convic-
tons.
The Philadelphia North American
Of April IA comments editorially on
the conviction of one of the most
fragrant and powerful offenders against
Prohibition in Philadelphia. The North
American says, "One year ago, in the
same court, only one conviction was
obtained out of II cases tried; there
were II consecutive acquittals. This
year, out of 40 cases heard, 80 resulted
in conviction. Two cases were aban-
doned, two failed through jury dis
agreement and there were just three
acquittals; in these seven instances
the evidence was incomplete. Sixty
FIVE defendants pleaded guilty without
going to trial, and twenty-five more
are ready to do the same.
Heavy Sentences Imposed
Is Prohibition a joke? So many
have said, among them violators of
the law. Recently Federal Judge
Page sent the proprietors of the Mis-
sion Bar at 217 w. Madison street,
Chicago, to the bridewel1 for four
months each for violating a Lands in
junction. In addition each offender
was given a fine of $1,000. "It is a
matter or common conversation that
the Prohibition law is joke" said
Judge Page in passing sentence. Per
haps you will be able to get laugh
out of 120 days in the House of Cor
rection." Other federal judges are
giving sentences even more severe.
In Milwaukee three federal judges
have recently sent several vio1ators to
the federal penitentiary for two years
in addition to giving them 81, 500 fines.
One offender was given five years in
Leavenworth and fined $14,5o0. Twelve
who confessed violations were given
prison sentences.
Million Fines in Ohio
In Ohto since The Crahha .of1~~.