The Washington herald., 1922-09-28
The Answer-Banish the Bootlegger.

II
pertinent and has proved the benefits to be
derived from its operation. D;e-hard vets from
time to time come forward with long lists of sta
tistcs to prove that prohibition is failure that
drinking is on the increase and that arrests for
drunkenness show gain rather than drop. Most
OF the time, probably. these figures in themselves,
are correct. But the Interpretation placed upon
them is absolutely wrong. Figures may not lie
but they past masters in the art of equvoca-
ton
The manipulators OF statistics are given a
good chance exercise their genius in dealing
with the report compiled by the police department
showing the trend of arrests here for drunkenness
for the last ten years. Because these figures show
6.375 arrests in 1922 compared with 3623 in
1913. the wets doubtless. will argue that the Vol
stead act has tended only to increase the consump-
ion OF liquor. On the surface this is proper in
ference but, analysed, it is shown to be complete
fallacy For the figures for the fiscal year,
ending June So and prior to July 1, 1913 there
excise law making t offenSe to drink
get intoxicated in public places. In other
words. prior to July OF that year, a could
stand on the corner OF Pennsylvania and
Fourteenth street and drink as much liquor he
3 could hold. So long as he did not become bois-
ferrous did attempt to beat up policeman
he in no danger OF a trip to the station
house. After the excise law went into effect the
number OF arrests increased by leaps and bounds
i'll 1914 reaching 1857, and going up gradually to
o6l8 in 1917. On November, l. 1917 the Shep-
pard law, closing the saloons, went into effect.
Immediately the number of arrests dropped in the
following year, 1910. to $3.50 and in the next
year, when the Eolstead law became effective, the
listed 3565, less than in the early
days when drunkenness caused only smile instead
of an arrest
In the first days under the Volstead act there
much drinking. People who had
stored away liquor used ii sparingy. Unless the
cellar was particularly we'll stocked the owner
thereof conserved his supply against the day when
there would be He did invite his
friends to come in for party and dispense with
generous hand the fluid, amber otherwise. he
had stored up. Not bit lof it All the good
fellowship" OF drinking was missng-it was an
economic problem those who believed they
could not get along without little "snifter"
Then caruc the change The bootlcggcr
started in business and for a price, liquor OF all
kinds and description, was to be had and in al
most any quantity. And it'was pretty good liquor,
too. as liquor goes. That is it was for the most
part filchcd from warehouses and had been manu-
facturcd in recognized distilerics before the land
went dry" Then the supply OF legtmately
manufactured liquor began to run short The
bootlegEcr was oath to give up his swollen profits
and cast about for means for supplying the de-
mand He hit upon the So-caed synthetic brand
OF liquor. manufactured from anything close to
hand ranging from rubber boots to prune- juice
doctorcd with wood alcohol or I've to give it a
kick"
Washington was flooded with the poisonous
concoctions and the for the fiscal year end
ing June 90 OF this year totaled 6375. They
reached such high figure because OF the food
OF poison poured into the city, two drinks
OF which would send the imbiber staggering into
the streets to be picked up by the first policeman.
Hence the larger number OF arrests
As time goes on, the forces OF law and order
are learning how to cope with the bootlegger and
his nefarous business The increase in number
OF arrests OF booteggers almost keeps pace in the
increase in the number OF "drunks" Soon the
bootlegger will be eliminated Then the figures
will tell their true story.
Eliminate the bootlegger and prohibition
functions per cent. And no small minority
long defy the law of the land and be safe.
The James brothers did it for time. as did other
notorious criminals. but all finally came to grief
1t is only question OF time until the last boot
logger will be behind the bars.
In the ruins of Nippur, Mesopotamia,