South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-13
- JoHN CoRCoRAN.

tuGe taken by many people when
another speaks for or against liquor
with a kick" prevents expressing
personal opinion. Be that as 10 may,
"a recent report 81 national enforce
ment agents states that many tips
are received BY the guardians OF the
Nolstead Law through complaints OF
exorbitant prices charged by boot
leggers.
For the uninitlsted. let me explain
that newspaper work compels a re-
porter 20 enter places and associatei
in n strictly business way. under
stand. with persons who are inclined
~ tip the glass that cheers and TO
know BY sight that small coterie Of
men about town who can boast OF a
private "bootlegger."
No Good Liquor"
The majority OF the tyre referred
TO are we'll pleased with the prices
charged and the quality OF goods de-
liyered and would not think Of re-
Veailns 20 their best friends the ad-
dress or the law-breaking bootleg
ger. let alone complain 20 the police
or federal authorities. CriminolOgists
claim that this Is only human nature
that will compel the bootleggers Gus
toner 20 secretly guard the sourde
81 The Illicit liquor. providing the
liquor r. OF fairly good quality.
Drinkers OF liquor with long years
OF experience 20 back up their claim
OF knowing good stuff" when they
taste IL. claim there il no such thing
~ good liquor AT the present time.
Therefore the imbiber should take
offense 20 the quality OF liquor now
soid and Is perfectly correct in re-
porting 10 federal agents those VINO
charge exhorbitant prices for the
evil tasting mule" according 10 the
clientele who have acquired the abil-
ity 10 test good liquor by the taste.
The local agent snickered gleeful-
lv when the question was put 10 him
and like a shot from cannon asked
me IN 7 had tasted OF the stuff" they
are now putting out. answered him
by telling him / refused 70 answer
upon advise Of counsel. OF course
had not but did not wish 10 appear
behind the times.
More Would Complain.
We'll I would hate TO pay the
prices some people profess to have
paid for some OF the liquor L have
tasted while on raids" the local
agent confessed. 'fBut II is little won
der that many do complain and
more would do the same il they
knew OF all the injurious ingredients
that are found in the present day
liquor. I doubt If IL is the money
value that arouses the ire of the
complainants as much as the
thoughts OF the chances the drinker
is taking in allowing such stuff to
enter their systems"
Then you have had such COM
plants" I broke in.
II have had a few complaints OF
that nature" the agent admitted
but jealousy causes more TO com
plain than anything else. I seldom
ID ever, bother with liquor violations
i'm the cities. restricting my activities
20 the outlying sections. Violations
i'm the city are generally handled by
the city police and most OF the
squaks for exorbitant prices / i'm
agine are made TO the Police.
Jealousy Cause.
But the operator of stills In the
farm sections comes under my jur-
tected by other operators close by
who have been arrested and fined
and take exception to their neigh
hors getting away with Il. Several
tips are received when the one raid
ed will mention as many as a dozen
more still operators nearby who have
been fortunate enough 10 escape de-
lection These tips of course are Civ
IN while the parties being arrested
are angered as the result OF their own
detection. and perhaps would deny
later that they had ever given out
the Information
ION the other hand, others who
have been arrested and convicted for
operating a stu Will come TO me- or
have the information impaired "a
me that their neighbors also have
been operating a stlu for some time
but have never been arrested Natur-
ally we investigate the matter and
where stills are found 10 be in opera
tion we make arrests.
Unsanitary conditions where hq-
uor is brewed also leads 10 numer-
GUS complaints. but the majority OF
such comp laints generally come from
business and are Jealous Of their old
competitors success Many such com
plants seem unfounded at times but
"A thorough investigation usually re-
suits in finding a still or a supply Of
mule"
lots OF Alcohol.
The local police were next visited
and the source OF tips for liquor
raids asked about Exhorbitan'
prices for an inferior grade Of liq-
uor." stated one member OF the To-
cal raidinE squad. "is one o. the
many cause for citizens 20 complain
against dispensers OF mule" but
This is rather lnfreQuent. The ma
f1r.ty OF mule" drinkers know
enough 10 leave IL alone after being
.stuug" once while the others are
SAT SIZED to drink anything that has
kick In IT,
Some OF the stuff we bring In
here has kick enough In 70. in fact
think there Is enough alcohol IN
some OF e 20 run an automobile
with have seen cases where we
have dropped a match % some OF il
and blaze will readily result and
turn until 10 would ignite the floor.
The majority OF mule taken IN raids
viii do the same thing so you can
imagine what 20 would DO 10 a per
sons stomach.
Many OF the better class OF citi-
gems Of the community. he con-
auued. viii report any liquor law
violations coming 20 his notice and
viii do 30 willingly This type usually
rov,es IN 4he station and reuuests