The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-01

Washington, D. c., Feb. 2S.-The
question CT liquor remains the
Invest topic of the day in the gem
eral conversation of the man on
the street, on the train, in his club
Judging from what anyone may
hear if he listens. it would be
thought that the public sentiment
of the country were strongly OPP
posed to prohibition, yet when the
matter comes to a vote in this
locality or that, the dry vote seems
to come out on top.
There are many explanations. Of
fered, but none of them is fully
satisfactory. Ardent prohibition
lists say that it is clear indica-
ton that the people of the country
are against liquor. Yet no i'm
partial judge contends that there is
not a tremendous quality of booze
consumed every day in all parts of
the country. Nature seems to be
ON the side of the vets, as alco-
holic drinks can be made from so
many things and in so many ways.
The explanation which appears
to come nearest the truth is that
the American people are against the
saloon. Any modification of the
Volstead law which would permit
the saloon again to flourish comes
in for opposition from the prohibi-
tionists, from the apparent antip-
athy Of the public to the restora-
ton of the old system, and from the
bootleggers, of course. Probably
the most ardent supporters of the
18th amendment are the illicit dis
tillers and peddlers of liquor. The
fortunes they gather would be i'm
possible under any system where
liquor could be legally dispensed.
Corn Hkker," once confined to
the mountain regions, where the
natives distilled their own stuff
partly because of an absession that
they had a God-given right to put
the produce of their little ecorn
patches to any use they chose
without consulting the federal or
state authorities or paying taxes, is
made practically everywhere now.
Prohibition Commissioner Haynes
admits that even in the big cities
this distilling of corn" occurs,
but he says that this is a temporary
problem" and not one of the great,
outstanding. fundamental prob
lens"
South Used to Prohibition
In parts of the south making
corn liquor is an old custom, and
the liquor has been brought into
many of the cities there for years
for most of the southern states
were legally dry" long befo1e the
18th amendment to the constitution
became effective. In one southern
city, not many miles from the
mountains where corn distilling
has gone On since the days of the
colonies. the product is brought to
the city in speeding automobiles. If
pursued by the police the rum run
ners will throw their cargo over
board if they find it impossible to
happen TO them then is a convic-
ton for fast driving. Sometimes
the spot at which the liquor is
thrown over is carefully marked.
and some of it may be retrieved
and brought in later. This may he
and probably is true of many other
cities.
A great difficulty with WHICH the
enforcement officials have to con-
tend is the fact that the United
States has such an enormous
stretch Of coast line and two great
land borders stretching for thou
sands Of miles Every effort is
made to head off smuggling, but it
is of course impossible to watch
the thousands and thousands of
little harbors where small boats
may put in under cover of darkness
without much chance of detection.
A veritab1e army of men would be
needed on the Canadian and Mexi-
can borders to make it possible TO
say truly that no liquor comes
into the country over the border.
Attracted by the huge profits,
men have put TO
gether poisonous substances which
pass as liquor Wood alcohol and
a variety of other goisons enter
into the makeup of these death
dealing potions. After nearly
every holiday celebration in the
larger cities. the newspapers will
publish reports of the hospital
cases due to bad liquor Blind
ness and death are the, inevitable
results of wood alcohol consump-
ton in any considerable quantities.
Mr.. Haynes Is Confident.
Prohibition Commissioner Haynes
is optimistic of eventual thorough
enforcement of the dry amendment.
1t is no secret that for long time