The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-12-11
SATURNATIA
Of BOOTLEGG|NG
STARTLES us.
Prohibition Enforcement
On Verge of Collapse in
Many States.
THE BOOTLEG CHALLENGE
(The Literary Digcst.l

NAAS llteTATy Digest
A Saturnalla OF bootlesging seems
to be no exaggerated phrase to de-
scribe the startling state OF anairs
TO which the Administration calls
the nations attention Inspired
Washington dispatches tell Us that
the present Prohibition enforcement
methods are "debauching and de-
basing the entire country" that
the President IS deeply concerned
over belief that the moral aber
OF the American people is deterior-
ating through the open disrespect
shown for the effort TO enforce Pro-
hibition;" and that growth OF boot
Logging, the temertty Of rum-run-
ners. ana the serious insinuations
against Federal enforcement officers
have been. worrying the Admins
tration for some mo1th&" until
fnally-"With Prohibition enforce
ment recognized as on the verge of
absolute collapse. President Harding
considered today the issuance OF
solemn public appeal to all good
citizens 10 discourage bootleggiag
as a last-resort effort to administer
the law" At the same time we
read IN Mr.. Hardings Marion Star
that 125 Prohibition enforcement
agents have been killed by boot
leggers. and $500 wounded. since
the Federal Government declared
war on the rum-runners. while the
fatalities among the bootleggers
When this situation forced itself
uon the official attention of the
President the fact was recognized
as a challenge by both the "drys"
and the vets" Both sides admit
that We are approaching a dryIaw
crisis. But While the "drys" urge
us to meet this crisis BY q stricter
application OF the Volstead Law. the
vets" declare the law IN its pres
ent form unenforceable. and insist
that only by q llberalized enforce
ment act can we put the bootlegger
out Of business The opposition
10 light wines and beers which the
country now so greatly favors. Is
coming chiefly from the bootleg
gers" declares Jacob RUPERT a
new 1 OTA prev pLCO4ELt
Bishop Thomas Nicholson, national
president OF the Anti-Saloon League.
that before we set through with It
the Prohibition question VIII test
the foundation OF our democracy
and VIII be as prominent in decic
ing whether It is possible 10 have
an efficient democracy as was. from
another point OF view, the Civil
War"
President Harding's deep concern
about the Prohibition enforcement
situation was revealed IN Washing
ton dispatches which told how the
Cabinet devoted a session TO this
topic without reaching any solution
Of the problem A few days later u
Washington correspondent OF the
New York Herald added this IN
formation:
Administration leaders, includIns
the President. who have been study
ing conditions IN Prohibition en-
forcenlent. have found no remedy
for the situation Since the CAbinet
discussion last week q complete
stocl1taking by Secretary Mellon
and others shows that enforcement
is failure.
Secretary Mellon. IN whose de
partment the duty OF enforcement
I .!1s. has no fault TO find with Pro.
b. uioa Commissioner Haynes, O
his executive assistants. Tie sacrs
tary believes the Prohibition offiel
is Doing effective work so far an /
can. but that II IL wRa three time
a. largo It still would fall far shor
OF effectively checking the manu-
facture. sale and use OF intoxieant Is
Mr.. Mellon believes a great arm,
would be needed to obtain prope
enforcement. and then It would b
effective only with the co-operatio
OF the citizens.
Administration leaders have pu
the matter Up to leading dry" ad
vocates OF the country, who hav
been asked for suggestions to t
tho best procedure, or some mean
of meeting the issue. So far moth
ing has been offered.
'Whiskey, wines and other inteA
icattng beverages are flowing eve
all the borders of the United State
Much OF this Illegal importa ton
not by bootleggerS or others VIII
defy the law for profit. but by other
wise law-ebiding citizens. Many 1
their travels carry trunkfuls
liquor.
Consideration was given by til
President TO the issuance OF
proclamation or appeal to the Amer
lean people. but that has bee
bandoned"
These revelations, notes a VAST
ington correspondent of the Newar
Evening News. constitute the FIR,
admission from so high an authorit
OF how critical the enforcement ST
uation IS" The Philadelphia Publ
Ledger welcomes the fact that 1T
Administration has lifted It's hes
out OF the sands Of the more or LEI
mythical Desert of Volstead and
minded to deal with the situation
The bootlegger must be suppre
sed." declares the Marion Star. o.
way to make Prohibition prohibi
declares the New York Evenir
Post. would be to arrest some
uuu-u.-uuuuuuu-sunnrruauuazz-