, 1923-04-29
LEGGERS ARE To
BE CLASSEl AS
DOPE5, REPORT
Whiskey Will Be Scarce AS
Opium, Is Hope of Gov
eminent Officials
BY WILLIAM J. LoSH.
United Press staff Correspondent,

WASHINGTON. April rs. The
federal government tonight prepared
TO concentrate its might in a FINISHING
blow at violatcrs OF the prohibition
law on land and sea, to drive them
forever out OF business and drive into
the public conscience the knowledge
that prohibition Is fact. not a Joke.
If the government succeeds in its
ambitious plan Of drastic law enforce
mcnt. within a few months. whiskey.
now sold Illegally by thousands Of
barrels, will be as scarce as opium
and those who peddle it will be
classed with drug vendors and other
social o~utcasts. n the public can be
taught 50 to regard them half the
battle or enforcement will be won
officials here tonight declared.
\ manifold program drafted by ad.
ministration officials may include tho
declaration that rum running and
bootleEging constitute an "insurrec.
ton" and liquor la w~violntors are
rebels.
Such a step would enable tho pres
ident TO order the whole military and
nava, forces OF the government into
action. II necessary.
Administration officials believe that
H show of determination by the fed.
eral government in enforcing the law
would speedily sober the public mind
n end the prevalent disposition to
take the Volstead act as a Joke.
The Administrations program con
templates moving swiftly against
hootleggers and rum runners as soor
rs the Justice department returns n
favorable ruling on the power of the
president to use the army and navy
in prohibition enforcement.
Prohibition Commissioner Haynes
policy of relaylng on the cooperation
OF local officials IN suppressing liquor
law v.olators has failed 10 produce
results. high officials said. The daily
record OF booze ho'dups. deaths from
wood alcohol. revelations OF corrup-
ton among prohibition officials and
the apparently llmitless supply OF
liquor available IN any large city
proves this. they say.
Once entered upon. the Cleanup
campaign against booze will go IN
until the government has demon
strated its mastery OF this problem. a
high official promised tonight. While
plans are as yet tentative and de-
pendent upon the findings Of the de-
partment OF Justice. after n careful
search Of the law ms to how far the
administration a go. tho campaign
ms sketched by officials will consist
OF:
D.Ffatz- 80 - ueiesp. oro-
hibition enforcement force. by means
of n vigorous wedding out OF cor
rupt and inefficient agents. This is
now in progress.
2-Centralization OF enforcement
agents al plague centers' or cities
where bootleggers and smugglers Join
forces to distribute their ~contraband
liquor.
s-Creation OF a line OF naval YES
sells, fast, heavily armed between the
shree-mile limit and h shore. with
orders TO prevent by n means nee
essary the landing Of liquor from
rum
POSSIBLE use of marine corps or
regular army units ashore to re-en-
force the navy. Such units would he
stationed at stragetic points. with
big army searchlights and probably
with aircraft to watch the surround
ing waters for evidence OF smuggiers'
craft.
5-Use OF the army and navy In
teIligence forces, in connection with
tho regular secret service OF the
prohibition enforcement service in
1erretinE cut Information in the Ba'
hamas and other West Indian islands
and in Mexico and Canadn Of the i'm
pending presence of smugglers with
from abroad. so hat THESE
could DO headed off when
brought to the shores or boundaries
OF the United States.
e-Making Of arrangements VIII
the British government that Will re
s,,lt In reducing the amount OF liquor
brought to the United States or to
adjacent points In British smpa-
These negotiations have been COINS
on for some time.
President Harding Is personally al
recting the mapping out OF the cam
palsn which he intends shall be the
crushing blow against booze
Wbile neither the president or any
other government official hopes IN q
few months TO mako the country ab'
solutely dry. or TO stamp out boo
Logging, the feeling pervails IN aa'
n,fnirtratlon circles that great prog
res. towards that end can be made
and TINT any event. the government
can demonstrate that It Is not help
less before those who now openly