The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-01-06
MORE RIGID
DRY" LAWS
IS TENDENCY
Congress Will Not Modify Pro-
hibition Laws, Politicians
Say-Apparent Laxness
Due to Illegal Distribution.
WHISKEY A Big FACTOR
By MARK SULLIVAN


more deceived either by his wishes or
his fears than those who interpret the
news that comes out of Washington
from time to time as meaning that the
prohibition laws are going to be modi-
fed in the direction of greater loose
ness. III, truth is exactly the con-
trary. All the news that gives hope to
the "wets" is rumor or surmise. When
ever anything tangible is done by con-
aress il is in the opposite direction.
In year when congress is intent
on reducing appropriations more than
on any other one subject the prohioi-
ton enforcement officer is the one man
who has been given most considera-
ion in his request for an increase over
the previous appropriation. In doing
his the chairman of the appropriations
committee of the house stated fact
Pnd uttered sentiment which reflects
the true DISPOSITION of congress more
accurately than all rumors
Only Argument
This is the only case in all the
hearings we have had the chairman
said, where we have allowed any ar
cument or any suggestion from any
body on the other side of the table
sbout increasing salaries"
1t is true that the increases of in
dividual salaries were not allowed.
But what is more significant is that
the head Of the prohibition enforce
ment department was permitted to add
S2S men TO the force of about 5000
men he already had, that he was Civ
en- S1.I50,0 600 more for the coming
year than he had last year. and was
given within per cent of all the
money he wanted, an approximation
TO the estimate that is unique in the
way the appropriation committee is
now doing things.
Those who look sympathetically in
TO the enforcement of prohibition,
think the chief difficulty lies in the
enormous quantity of whisky still leg
ally in existence. 1t is about this
that all the really formidable frauds
have centered. When that whisky is
exhausted the effectiveness of prohibi-
ton enforcement will not longer be
so widely questioned, so say its
friends
Whisky to Disappear
When prohibition went into effect
there were about seventy million gal
Ions of whisky legally in existence in
bonded warehouses The prohibition
lists realized that this would be the
difficulty. and the most ardent of them
wanted the government to buy it ano
destroy it. This was not done and
The great bulk of the law-breaking mas
centered around this particular vol
nme of whisky. Up to date almos
half of il has been withdrawn and dis
posed of, either legally or illegally
About 35,000.O0O gallons remain
md the time REQUIRED for it to disap
rear will be longer. for the loos,
r-'anting of permits has been checked
~ the course of few years. there
fore. this whisky will either disappea
ar be so reduced in amount as to b,
rrore easily controlled When that ha
happened. the only sources of illici
uDply viii be moonshining and SNUG
Cling. Neither Of these is so trouble
fnme as the existing supply in bondet
warehou es has been: and when tn
work Of the enforcement officials cal
J." devoted wholly to these two meth
ODDS of awbreaking, prohibition en-
forcement will not be so lax as it i
now.
Tightening the Law
There is no sign on the part of tn
government of any disposition othe
than a more and more complete tight
t1lnS OF the law. AS ldI dS al
change in the law by congress is cor
cerned. there isn't the taintest pro.
rect OF any such development. In
very few districts candidates will ru
for congress on some sort of mod
fied wet platform. In one state, NeN
Jersey. conspicuous wet is e.
pected to try for the senate.
But. as whole, the congress tha
VII exist after the coming electio
viii be no less dry than the preser
one. Every evidence points to tn
likelihood of much more effective Ell
\ forcement, more solidified publ
! sentiment in its favor, and the ult
mate disappearance of the whisk
now in existence. Whisky is the bi
factor. Other than whisky. th
amount of liquor now legally in eyis
ence is negligible Copyright. 1872
by the New York Evening Post, luc