The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1922-09-15
CIVIL ABATEMENT
SUITS TO START

ihat ci'i apdlenent suits 10 close
premises where owners have know.
ledge that liquor Is being kept OF
sold will be brought by the United
States attorneys office, was the an.
nouneement yesterday by George
Springmeyer, federal attorney for Ne
vada.
The decision to start the abate-
ment campaign to close such estab-
lishments was made by Attorney
Springmeyer following a conference
with Captain J. p. Donnelley. federal
prohibition director.
This course is made necessary ar
cording to Springmeyer by the fact
that over one hundred cases are
awaiting trial at Carson CITY. and
there are so many incoming cases
that 1t is improbable that docket Will
ever be cleared
Purely Civil Actions
Attorney Springmeyer pointed ont
that abatement proceedings are pure
ly civil actions and conviction of a
crime against the prohibition laws in
the criminal court. is not necessary
to start an abatement action.
AS was recently announced in
court when judgment for abatement
was entered in the Grand buffet
abatement suit, it is not the policy
OF the government to take advantage
oil anyone, or to seek to close bust
ness houses where the owners are
innocent" Springmeyer said yester-
day In discussing the matter. ''But
where they have guilty knowledge
that liquor is being sold or kept ON
their premises. vigorous steps will
be taken to bring them to account
Drastic Steps Necessary
Because criminal prosecutions are
not deterring offenders from yiolat-
ing the national prohibition act and
owing to the fact that the criminal
docket Is oyercrowded, II becomes
apparent that more drastic steps
must be taken. Accordingly. it will
be the policy of the government in
this district to file abatement suits
to close premises wherever there is
reason to believe real property own
ers are either conniying with their
bootlegging tenants, or have guilty
knowledge that bootlegging is going
on, or are closing their eyes to the
fact, for no other apparent reason
than that they are being paid exorbi
tant rentals. Landlords cannot hide
behind clause In their leases to the
effect that violation of the law will
cause the premises to revert to the
lessons.
There are innumerable instances
where landlords who refuse to per-
NIT bootlegging in their premises are
unable to rent their property, or are
compelled to accept low rentals. while
similar properties near to theirs in
which there is bootlegging. are COM
manding high rentals.
"On the other hand. tenants en-
gagged In legitimate business ought
not to be compelled to pay exorbitant
rentals simply because bootleggers
offer high prices for the property.
Such benefits to violators of the law
bring the constitution and the law of
the land into disrepute, place a pre-
MUM on crime. and encourage the
weak, the disheartened, and the poor.
as well as those of criminal nature,
to commit crimes which they other
wise would not perpetrate.
1T will be the purpose of the gov
ernment in this district to put stop
to such practices and to see that the
law-abiding are not penalized or dis
criminated against.
Landlords Warned
Care will be taken not to harass
innocent landlords and property hold
ers by the filing of vexatious abate-
ment proceedings which will put
them to expense and trouble. To
the end that mistakes of the govern
ment In this regard may be mini
mized, all landlords and property
holders, particularly those of prem
ises where soft drinks are being dis
pensed. are requested to investigate
conditions in their property. And
they. as well as the public generally,
are called upon to give an enforce
ment officers aid and information
concerning violations of the prohibit
tlon law.
An enlightened public sentiment
In this respect will do much toward
solving the serious problems with
which the government is now con-
fronted.
1t is immaterial that some land
lords and their tenants do not be-
lieve in the prohibition law. II they
do not like 1t, let them work honest
ly and legally to change it; but
while 1t is the law. let them, like
Others, obey 1t. And let them re-
member that whoever does not uphold
the law Is open to suspicion that he
Is not 100 per cent American"