The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1922-12-21

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to be either 2 necessity or ut any rate
u certainty of the immediate future.
Liquor Violations Annoy Uncle Sam.
II needs neither sharp eye nor u
sharp ear TO learn that the administra-
ton is concerned because of the diff
culties which are besetting the agents
of the law in enforcing the statutes re-
lating to the sale of Intoxicating
liquors.
From the White House have come
words about it, and from the offices
of the cabinet officers have come
other words. 1t makes no difference
whether the President OF the United
States or the members of his cabinet
think or do not think that the laws
should be moderated to the admission
Of light wines and beers as bever-
ages. The question Is not one of wish
ing this or wishing that. 1t is a ques-
ton Of enforcing the law as it stands.
a President Is the chief executive Of
the United States, and the chief ex-
ecutiye is one whose business il is to
execute the laws.
II probably is rrue that nothing like
so much liquor is being consumed in
the United States today as was the
case six years ago, but it also doubt
less Is true that the violations of the
law, occurring as they do in the great
news centers Of the country, are made
known quickly to the people and, be-
cause of the density of the population
in these centers the accumulation Of
evidence of the law violations makes
the laWlesSucsS loom In the public eye.
Secretary of the Treasury Mellon
believes, it is said, that a great army
Of men committed TO the work would
be needed to obtain proper enforce
ment, and that then 1t would be elfec-
tive only with the cooperation of the
great body Of citizenship. 1t is held
in the Treasury department that while
the prohibition office is doing ellec-
tive work SO far as it can, It still would
fall short Of accomplishing an efec-
tive check to the making, sale and use
Of intoXicants if the force were four
times as large as il is today.
Law Must Be Enforced
There is no intention or thought on
the part of any member of the admin
istration to suggest mat prohibition
is not a good thing or to suggest that
it is a good thing. The entire thought
on the subject is that the law IS on
the statute books and while ii is there
it should be enforced, no matter how
much money it costs to enforce II nor
how great the difficulties which lie in
the way.
There seems to he a feeling that If
the people of the United States want
to have light wines and beers, or de-
sire that the amendment shall he re-
pealed, they can find eventually the
means to accomplish their end. but
again this Is beside the present point
for the thing Is simply that there is
law, and that the government officers
are sworn to enforce it-and this with
the present equipment of men and
means it is difficult to do.
So the laws are on the statute books,
and the President and other officials
of government desire that they shall
be enforced, but it is said bluntly
enough in nearly every nook and cor
ner of ofliciuldom here that real en-
forcement must depend upon the aid
which citizens who are not officials of
the government shall give to the cause.
Haynes Not Dismayed.
1t is said that Commissioner Haynes,
who is the director of the enforce.
ment of prohibition laws, Is not at all
discouraged because of the opposition
offered to his work, and Of the con
slant violations Of the statutes. Some
Of the field directors OF the work say
that popular support for the prohibit
ton amendment is increasing; that
home brewing is largely thing of the
past, and that moonshlning Is dy-
ing out.
1t costs lot of money TO enforce
the anti-liquor laws. The friends OF
prohibition say the amount saved to
the people OF the United States be-
cause liquor selling Is Illegal and sup
plies cannot readily be obtained Is so
great that the amount spent to en-
force the laws dwindles into insignlfl-
canoe. The fact remains, however,
that in many parts of the country the
law is being violated flugrantly, and 1t
seems from the official point of view
that nothing can put a stop TO the IL
LOCALITIES in the case except a great
increase in the number Of law enforce
ment officers.
One grave thing is that men who
are charged with the duty of enforcing
the laws think that the people Of the
United States are derelict in their
duty in not helping the executive
branch Of the government to carry out
the will Of the people as expressed by
their representatives in congress in
this matter of prohibition.
Cat Saves Young Master.
Willie Boatrlght. aged nine, OF Buck