The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-12-06
PROHIBITION
ENFORCEMENT
FACES CRISIS
More than 1000 Engaged in
Detecting Violations
Of Law
20,483 ARE CONVICTED
Will Need $5O,0O0,OOO or More
During Period of Six
I Years
20,4S3 ARE CONVICTED
(By the Associated PressJ

Washington, Dec. 6.--The crisis in
the federal prohibition enforcement
fight has, been reached in the opin-
ion Of Commissioner Haynes, it was
disclosed today in reports of recent
hearings before house appropria-
tons subcommittee.
In asking $9,oOO,OOO for the next
fiscal year for his department, Mr.,
Haynes told the committee that if a
similar amount was allowed for pro-
hibition enforcement continuously
for five or six years, reduction
then ought to be possible but that
the critical period for enforcement
was now at hand. ,..
$500 Employed
Mr.. Haynes said there were $500
men employed in the work Of pro-
hihtion enforcement. Because of the
appropriation asked for next year re-
presents reduction of $25O,OO0 from
this years outlay, he said, there
would be a slight reduction in his
forces, but he hoped to rc-arrange
the organization SO as not apprecia-
bly, to lessen it's efficiency.
The prohibition commissioner told
the committee he was "gratified'
with the present functioning of his
enforcement machinery, and that the
department was securing "fine CO.
operation" from states and counties
in the main. Courts were becoming
"more sympathetic" he asserted,
and iail sentences and fines were
becoming heavier.
"There is a general disposition to
tighten up" he added.
In the fiscal year ended June 80,
1922, the prohibition commissions,
said there were 20,4s3 convictions III
federal courts for violations \of the
prohibition law. Acquittals number
ed 1925, cases dropped 3,217 and
civil cases disposed of 544. At the
end of the year, he said, 1870 cases
were pending in federal court, bring
ing the total of cases handled to
44,779. These figures, he said, did
not include cases in state courts.
Fines in federal courts which were
deposited in the treasury, he placed
at $2,179,0O0 In many cases pro
ceedings toward forfeiture of bonds
and other assessments were Ipend~
ing.
To Buy Evidence
Mr.. Haynes asked for $l5o,oOO for
"buying evidence" and told the COM
mittee $4,000 had been spent in
that way during the last year.
The bootleg liquor business has
brought about big increase in
counterfeiting, much of which is the
work of amateurs, W. Fl. Moran
chief of the secret service, told the
house appropriation committee hear
ings made public.%oday.
ave are just now very greatly
troubled with some counterfeit bills
Of fair workmanship in the eastern
half of the country" said Mr.. Nor
an. "much of which is being used IN
the purchase of whiskey. 1t is being
done to a considerable extent. On
the Canadian border the counterfeit
or is defrauding the people on inc
other side Of the border in the pur-
chase of whiskey which he seeks to
bring across"
Illustrating the general use to
which the spurious money is pu''
Mr., Moran mentioned two cases
brought to his attention where $l''oo
of counterfeit, $50 and $50 federal
reserve notes and $1,000 in raised
federal reserve notes were paid TOY
LIQUOR for smuggling. The consider
alton auth critics, he added, were
putting forth every effort to sup
press it.
3S Million Gallons
There were 38,826,195 taxable gal
Ions of liquors in distilleries and
bonded warehouses when the last
count was made June 30 last, ac"
cording to table filed with the
house appropriations committee by
the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and
made public today.
The amount under government con-
troll and guard was 3,433 ,204 gallons
less than on the same date in 1921.
Here's how much there is:
Whiskey 36,588,567 gallons; rum,
384,O11; gin, 987,s 1884; high wines, l.
073; alcohol, 543,347. The amount OF
neutral or cologne spirits was not in