The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-18
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER IS, 1922.
Peter Lippens Tells the Truth.

Him going to close up. II can't sell beer
std hooch can't run my place-been losing
1eney eevry day"
iiPeter Lippens Is speaking as he turns back
ttsthe city clerk Of Rock Island his license to
operate a soft drink bar at 72l Third avenue.
He had only few days before been fned<$3
for violation of the liquor law. Lippens, hav-
id been convinced that henceforth the laws
W4re to be enforced in Rock Island, was not
ashamed to tell the truth. He was licensed to
skt soft drinks, but had to become law-break-
Ell in order to make his business profitable
Iibpens' experience is the experience OF the
l9sjority Of the so-called soft drink bar oper-
atSrs of Rock Island. They have been making
ahy more than are safe blowing and highway
rbbbery. They have been doing business by
official consent, privilege that was obtained
through purchase of hooch from ring Of
underworld profiteers and by other levies that
forced division of the illegitimate profits.
t6Probably there always will be soft drink
aars-in Rock Island. but they will be less num-
arous than they are today because they will
be forced to arrive at the same decision that
Was reached by Lippens. He will be happier
fpt his relief from the strain that he would
Undergo during the brief period that he might
lave struggled along lodging the police raid
8t. Lippens can find other means of making
1 livelihood and he will hold the respect a
Ids neghbors as law-abiding citizen.
The bootlegSer has had his day in Rock Is
lind He can no longer hide behind a soft
drink license that is issued him at the city hall
he may in future operate from the hip, but that
Is Ill be precarious business. The bootlegger
does not deserve the blame for his traffickng
lac responsibility belongs to those in authority
sho permit him to publicly violate the laws
lie bootlegger is passing out but officialdom
itas yet to answer to the citizenship which il
las betrayed.
/ Rock Island will be better city for its sup
preston Of boOtlegghg for in the trail of that
legal1 business followed all forms of crime
and vice. Bootlegging is the flame of lawless.
hess around which all of the other violations
dircled. One transgression encouraged ancth.
or, until even murder was publicly condoned by
officialdom. 1t was necessary to eliminate the
bootlegger to strike at the heart of more seri
outs phases Of lawlessness.
The disappearance of the illegal saloon doe:
not necessarily imply that Rock Island is
Prohibition city. The Argus isn't in position
tOpositively answer that question, and it is on,
that has frequently been ascked of this news
paper since the Inauguration of the presen
campaign against lawlessness. The answer t
ent question can only be had by canvass o
01e voting power OF the community But Th
Argus does know that the great ma jority O
9le people of Rock Island are supporters O
hM enforcement Bootlegging is a lawles
Business. Therefore the majority of the peopl
sid that 1t must cease. And they are havin
n qeir way.
The majority of the people of Rock Islam
lpby favor legalzation Of the manufacture an
sale of beer and light wines-again they ma
4 Not. That is question that must be left t
the future to determine. II the majority of tn
Heople of Rock Island do favor a return q
4 4aer and light wines they may be trusted t
4 mike their preference known in the proper wa
/ and at the proper time, but in the interim the
Il demand that the constitution of the Unite
\ States be respected in Rock Island, and ths
u 4eans that the sale Of intoxicants over bar
Il fe stopped. And when that shall have bee
9ampletely and permanently done othe
Il 3hRSgressions will automatically disappea
add Rock Island will again take its plac
among the communities Of the land where tn
\ 1eople revere and respect the provisions Of tn
u e4eral constitution.