The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-01-04
STRICTLY PERSONAL OPINION
Agree think yourself grant to
others the privilege.

The Elko Independent recently
contained long and strong editor
ial denouncing the director of prohi-
bition in Nevada and his force of
men. The occasion for the outburst
was the killing of a prohibition en-
forcement agent at Palisade, near
Elko, which on the face of it be-
lies the Independents contention
that the prohibition men do nothing
but hang around Reno and take
life easy. By this we do not mean
to detract from the value of the
brother editors expression of opin-
ion, for the reason that we know
that if all newspapers and people
were constant in their demand for
prohibition enforcement that prohi-
bition would be fact in short order,
and then people would have chance
to find out whether they liked it
or not and whether or not to insist
that it continue or be repealed.
But facts must be adhered to as
nearly as human ability permits.
The whole gist of the Indepen-
dents editorial is that Prohibition
Director Donnelley is not making an
effort to do those things for which
he is employed by the government.
Possibly it appears that way, and to
our knowledge the Independent edi-
tor is not the only person who has
given voice to exactly that opinion.
At times we have wondered about
it, but have taken the trouble to
find out, and found that the idea as
expressed by our contemporary is
all wrong. If anyone is to be
picked on for lack of prohibition en-
forcement it is necessary to look
elsewhere. for here are the facts:
Before the end of the year 1922
the federal prohibition men in this
state had made 215 arrests for
violations of the law since January
/, 1922, and there are today about
$50 cases awaiting trial in federal
court. In other words, arrests are
being made faster than the court
trials can be accomplished.
Prohibition Director Donnelley
has, we believe, only four men to
assist him in enforcing the law in
the whole of Nevada and in four
counties of California. including
such populous towns as Susanville.
Four men are insufficient to make
dent in Reno bootleggers alone,
to say nothing of those in Elko and
Winnemucca, as we'll as the rest of
the state. On top of this, the pro-
hibition men work against hundreds
| of others-some in the official
families-who are vigilant at all
times in an effort to "tip off" the
movements of the federal men.
Search warrants are also hard to
secure, unless the officers can show
practically convicting evidence be-
fore applying for same. All around,
,, we believe Donnelley may well be
proud of his record. Let's be fair,
and give credit.
If the Independent man really
wanted something to find fault
with he might have Investigated the
activities of local officers in Elko,
sworn to enforce state law at least
and there is a state prohibition
law, voted by the people, more
stringent than is the federal law
for we'll bet him hat right now
that the officers of Elko, all of
them, probably numbering more
than Donnelley's force, didn't make
record that will anywhere nearly
compare with Donneley's record. Or,
he wanted to go further. why not
have something to say of the state
officials, Ex-Governor Boyle, for in
stance, who had state policemen to
herd striking railroad men around,
though those same state policemen
have never been known to make an
arrest for state prohibition law vio-
| ations.
The real places to go with criticism
are to local officers, state officers
and finally right straight to Wash
ington, where it is decided how
many men Captain Donnelley ma.
have for the work he is hired t.
do. The Independent might We.
criticize Senator Pittman or Sena
tor eddie, or Congressman Aren't
for not raising right out of the
seats to proclaim their demands tbs
a larger appropriation be made TO
prohibition enforcement, that il
turn more men might be employed
to, assist Captain Donnelley.
Frankly, we are disappointed with
those people who fall for the boot
leggers7 propaganda that prohibition
is purely a federal matter, and
then turn around and try to put
whole blame for non-enforcement
upon the shoulders Of one man who
is far away-the prohibition direc-
tor. To US 1t appears nothing but
smoke screen to cover up the
derelictions Of those closer to home.
The state legislature is soon to