Evening star., 1922-12-19
HIT MAD PURSUIT
OF BOOTLEG CARS
Citizens Oppose Wild Chases
Through Crowded Streets,
Which Endanger All.
RISK HELD UNWARRANTED
A. NJ. A. and A. A. A. Secretaries
Declare Chance of Injury to
Innocent Too Great.
RISK HELD UNWARRANTED


cars through the city at forty and
fifty miles an hour is being condemn
ed by many citizens Of Washington,
who are daily endangered by tho wild
driving of bootleggers and police and
revenue officers. They think that the
game Is not worth the candle: that
the chase after a few gallons of
liquor is not worth the endangering
Of their lives and the damaging OF
their property.
The climax in this series Of wild
pursuits was reached on Saturday.
when an employe of the Agricultural
DEPARTMENT proceeding in a slow and
/, orderly manner. was smashed into by
a revenue officers car. His machine
was badly damaged and he was taken
to the hospital That the boofleggers
were captured later on in the day Is
small comfort to him.
Raymond Beck. secretary OF the
American Motorists Association, ana
who has been identified with motor
ing almost since its inception, and L.
W. Hites. secretary of the American
Automobile Association and editor OF
the American Motorist. have both
made statements regarding this prac-
tice, which IL kept up will result IN
the killing and manning OF many
citizens of this community.
the crowded sections of the city at
high speed to capture perhaps 4 few
gallons of liquor should be stopped.
said Mr.. Beck today. The police and
revenue departments should be able
to weigh matters in their proper bal
ance to find out whether i: is worth
while.
Ofteu Chase Fails.
NO one wants to see the booueGger
%~nn h1rf g
used in a good many cases worth the
apprehension Of a liquor runner: n
involves not only the violation OF the
law by the pursuing car. but Is
fraught with potential injuries to in
nocent persons and damage to cars
of citizens who are in no way impli-
Gated.
not caught at all. although he and
the police and revenue officers often
leave trail Of disaster behind them.
The sole result of the wild chase is
gallon or so of liquor in a deserted
or smashed-up car.
BootleEEtng Serious Onense.
".Of course. bootlegging is q serious
of1ense. but it is not as serious as
murder and many others. II bank
robbers, murderers or criminals OF
this kind were trying to escape the
means might justify the ends. But
there should not be a wholesale en-
dangering Of life to apprehend him.
It is almost the same as driving at
fifty miles an hour after man who
has parked more than the required
thirty minutes in the oe"neo"h Sec
ton of the city"
even il the police happen to catch
the bootleEgers and the car. they
haye not touched the heart OF the
industry. Liquor runners are IN the
employ Of those higher up. ana me
mere apprehension OF r.s one th. =, ,i,e t1e
of a pedestrian or a emashed-u up car
of an innocent motor!st. 1t is JUST
Tash- -in-the-pa PAN and sensational
method on the part OF the police ano
revenue onicers ana does not IN ens
was Justify itseh.
Urges Siren Horns.
"If the police persist in this prac-
+ice az endangering lives by their
reckless pursuits they should, AZ
least, have their cars equipped WIN
siren horns, such as tho nre oepAI.-
menf and ambulances use. to give
snme sort Of warning to pedestrians
and motorists that they are again IN
their wild pursuit OF a liquor runner.
Tha man on the street will then have
some chance for his life; at present
he has hardly any. . =;
idenouncing the practice.
.Tt is notential murder for police or
anv one else to drive through the
streets. crowded at this season OF the
year with Christmas shoppers; PEI g. shss 81
:There may have been cases where
the hootleggers have been captured
intact-thaf is, with their cr IN eooo
order, liquor in the back OF It, ano tne
men surrenderiinss Ing, whea h,,f 'fs have e heard
Of very few OF them. The net result
Of most of these chases Is a Few eal,
Ions Of liquor, q smashed-up car. uest.
lfcense plates, and NO bootie8gefe. ~
seems as II these liquor caIs a,s;sien S ne."d snd
that the men generally manage to get
away before the appearance OF the
officers. .,, T..
my opinion it isn't. Police ana revs- M
almost willful disregard OF human life
In these pursuits is going to get them
into trouble"
in general to hold their speed 10
eighteen miles an hour IN the CITY
danger lives on such q fimsy pretext
There ought to be some check put on
this practice at once or the toll OF
MANNED and dead in the National
Capital will reach alarming proper
tions; an from the disregard Of hu-
man life in . chase after liquor"
With pistols and rides splitting In
| discriminately. and automobiles ca
| reening wildly through the streets.
washington citisens homeward bound
| after a days hard work or down.
town for Christmas shopping feel
| that their lives are being put into
jeopardy without cause. That some
| less drastic measures should b
! adopted for the pursuit OF these GRIM