The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-09-03
PROH| AGENTS ARE PUTTING GOTHAM
 IN DRY COLUMN
Costly Cellars Being Confls- Cated-Famous Resorts Now Arid-But Drink Is
 Not Impossible
nx EILEY MATTHEw.s
Special Dispatch to The AEe-Herald Copyright. 1922. hy The Age-Heraldl


 town, where they said it never could happen-and maybe it never can-is at last trembling on the verge of pro- hibition? There is in any event a touch of Sahara in the air.
 volstead enforcement has resolved itself into horse race. Can the run ners bring 1t in faster than the fed- eral officers seize 1t? So far the rum ners seem to have little the best of 1t, but the ''revenuers" are gaining slowly but surely. The seizure Thursday of s2oo,ooo cargo of finest Scotch whisky was tremendous blow to the runners, but their breth- ren working on the night shift are hoping to make up for the loss.
 The blue atmosphere along the once "gay" white way on this sol- emn weekend is due to the fact that in the gilded cafes of the city alone more than s1,000,ooo worth of liquor has been seized and confiscated since the "clean-up" campaign began a short time ago. The question Is how long can the illicit booze dispensers stand wailops like that?
 The sad-faced bonifaces of Broad way are plainly worried, as empty tables nightly stare them in the face and as the Volstead wrecking crews calmly announced that they have only just begun to fight. What they have been trying to do lately is to rout the "hip-pocket' brigade. They have compelled the various fashionable cafes to shut down on the plan of furnishing service" while the patrons, men and women alike, brought along their own "makings.
 Agents on Job
 Led by Director Ralph A. Day of the New York prohibition enforce ment forces and Division Chief John D. Appleby, the 200 enforcement agents have been on the job day and night and the widely known eating the "gay tight"-it used to be white" way-have been compelled to see that the intent as well as the letter of the dry law, was observed.
 Jacks, Pfcadilly Rendezvous, Bill lys. the Claridge, Reisenwebbers. Paradise Roof, Golden Glades--all fa- nous for the brands in the days gone by and where the hard-boiled walters were sure 'it never could be done,s today are as dry as the proverbial Kansas wheat field. They protested, they slipped from time to time, but when Appleby quietly told the pro- prietors that they would be held in- dividually responsible, they made 1t impossible for anyone not contor- tionist to take a drink even from their own hip pocket.
 Appleby declared that they were enforcing the law in New York chiefly as example for the nation at large. Closing up the big places in the big cities. he insisted, must be followed by the closing up of the through the country.
 violations have been very fragrant here." he said tonight, "so we just got busy and compelled a respect for the law. The places which advertised that you always could get 1t here are the places that now are dry. And they have thrown the fear of the law into many smaller places"
 What Mir. Appleby said Is true. It Is fact that the district between about Thirtieth street on up to be- J way, and in spots for two blocks on either side of Broadway. Is dry. It's hard to believe. New Workers haven't fully realized It yet, and they don't believe 1t. The cabaret belt Is a changed place. And the cabarets and restaurants. roof gardens and dance halls show 1t. There isn't one-half the patronage that there was a week ago. Walters stand stolidly, or creep uneasily about between the empty tables. And what a wonderful re- ception patrons gets now when they cross portals that heretofore have been guarded by ubiquitous flunkies who in olden times unctuously per mitted tho patron to pay cover charge and take his seat.
 Not All Dry
 However, nothing that has been said by Messrs. Day and Appleby must be taken to mean that all of New York is arid. It is not. Perhaps 10 per cent of the corner saloons are still running, and you don't need an introduction, either. to get . pretty fair grade of Scotch or rye or bour- bon. or large foaming beaker of beer. Furthermore, 1t can be stated on other than heresay testimony that sometimes it is necessary to crowd a policeman along the mahogany a It, tie way in order for thirsty cus- toner to put in his order. On the same kind of testimony it can be said authentically that there are at least three saloons not 100 miles from Broadway and Thirty-third street where the old-time custom of chas- ing the growler in . large tin bucket is followed
 The clamp on the bright light dts trict has sent much business to the outlying sections. the road houses and country inns, especially up Port chester and westchester way.
 All this does not bother Day and App1eby, however. Both say they ex- pected just these things to happen. They will continue on with their di- racf nffAnsiyA against fhe real arrnv