Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-11-02
CLAIMS DECREASE
IN DRUG ADD|CTS
Abolition of LoW-Caste
Dance Halls One Cause,
Col. Mutt Declares.

Passing Of the tawdry. low-caste.
rum soaked dance hall. where paint
ed women. wine and song added their
more vicious kick of narcotics to vic
Tins. and operation Of the stringent
new drugs act of May rs have chiefly
contributed to the decrease in drug
addicts in the United States, in the
view of Col. L. G. Mutt. chief Of the
United States narcotic section.
The old-fashioned low-down dance
hail." said Col. Mutt. used to be one
Of the most dangerous places for
young men and women of tender
years in contracting the drug habits.
have talked personally with thou
sands of addicts. particularly in New
York city. and a great part of them
have confessed that they first receiv-
ed the kick of drugs in one of those
places.
Offers Help. With n Wink.
They would go to these halls where
rum usually flowed freely. dance till
midnight. and in spite of the stimu-
lation of liquor begin to feel a bit
drowsy. Then one Of the initiated
companions. with a wink. would Of
fer help: The help was usually in the
form OF narcotic tablet, at first,
these addicts told me. After the tab
let they would feel added stimulation,
usually powerful at first. and dance
ten or twelve doses they became ad-
diets"
Many soldiers. sad to relate, Col.
Mutt said. had contracted the drug
habit in the service. 1t was entirely
unintentional on the part Of the gov
eminent. but resulted from the
ribly excruciating pains of fresh
wounds, and waiting for treatment
at the hands OF Army surgeons Gao
the soldiers). they had been Civ
en- morphine to quiet their shattered
nerves. and soothe the pain. Col. Mutt
said he had found from that begin
the habit of drugs. This source of
adding terrible toll to the ranks of
the drug addicts, of course. had been
eliminated. said the colonel, along
with the end of the war.
Estimates Number Of Addicts.
There are now probably less than
a million drug addicts in the United
states. Col. Mutt estimated. Any es-
innate. however, he said. could be
only more or less OF a guess New
been reported as danger spots on ac-
count OF imports and drug peddlers.
but the operation Of the new mar
couc drugs import and export act of
! May has. according to the colonel.
sharply cut down the amount of
habit-forming drugs entering the
country and closed about those which
do enter a more stringent check.
Customs officials. working under
advisers from the Treasury. State and
Commerce departments. as provided
In the act, have been finding the teeth
Of the new law effective. Particular
ly does the ten-year penitentiary
penalty for violation prove eficacious,
they report.
Some strange completes in the
drug addict's tendency to spread his
| vicious habits have been revealed.
Col. Mutt has found in his personal
| Investigations.
Not Often Communicated.
THE terrors Of the life seldom are
communicated to children from addict
parents. nor to brothers or sisters"
he said.
although they get powerful
stimulant, which they enjoy and from
which they cannot free themselves"
continued the colonel, they would
never suggest to their sisters. for in
stance. the habit. Tell my sister to
fellows said to me: that's the last
thing / would do. would rather see
her dead"
But. on the contrary. several hus-
bands and wives have been discover
ed. both addicts. evidently contract
in the dow-caste dance halls. of which
the colonel spoke with concern, there
seemed to be pride in passing on the
stimulation.