Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-07-23

Chicago, July 22.-(By A. P.)-The
question of enforcing prohibition
laws came up recently in the legisla-
lures Of fourteen central states, and
action vas taken as follows:
IlIinois.-The 53rd general assem-
bly, enacted no wet" legislation.
zone dry bill was passed, which
makes the man who sells poison
liquor which causes death punishable
by the same as if he committed MUIR
der"
lndiana.-Four bills, two of which
amended laws already in force, hav-
ing to do with Strengthening of the
state prohibition law, were passed by
the Indiana general assembly at its
recent session and have been signed
by Gov. Warren T. McCray.
The bills, briefly, provide that:
Persons operating vehicles while
u..der the influence of liquor are
guilty of a misdemeanor punishable
by n fine not exceeding $500, to which
shall be added Jail sentence of from
ten days to six months. Persons
convicted a second time are guilty Of
felony, punishable with Jail SEN
tcnce of from one to five years.
1t is unlawful to have in possession
or under control any still for manu-
featuring intoxicating liquor in vio-
lation of the laws of the state. Per-
sons caught so doing are guilty of
felony, punishable by from one to
five years imprisonment and q fine
ranging from 500 to $1,000. Posses
sion of any still or distilling appa-
ratus not registered according to the
provisions of the laws Of the United
States shall be prima facie evidence
that such possession was for the
purpose of manufacturing intoXi-
eating liquor.
Anyone transporting liquor in any
vehicle. or by water or aircraft shall
be guilty of n felony, punishable by
from one to two years Imprisonment
and a fine not to exceed $1,000.
A fine ranging from 500 to $500
and 80 days to six months imprison-
ment is provided for the first convic-
ton on charge of giving away, SELL
ing, bartering. etc. of Intoxicating
liquor. Second offense punishable
by imprisonment of from one to two
years and 5000 to $1,000 fine.
IoWa-Seven new prohibition laws
were enacted by the Iowa legislature,
which adjourned April 81. A sum-
mary of them follows:
Bills defining the sale Of liquor
that causes death as manslaughter:
declaring illegal the possession of
materials with which to make liquor;
extending search and seizure laws
to cover these materials; making the
driving of a motor car while intoXi.
Gated subject to a penalty Of $1,000
n mi q nrlIincr a
special penalty for the misdemeanor
of furnishing liquor to Il minor; pro-
viding for the confiscation of vehicles
used to transport liquor, and defining
any person twice convicted of liquor
crimes as a persistent violator.
kansas.-When the law makers of
Kansas forty years ago enacted the
first prohibitory law they did not an
ticipate that the control of moon
sinners" would ever become a state
problem. Nor in later years, when
the prohibitory laws were frightened
up by the bone dry" and other en-
actments. did they contemplate any
"moonshine" menace. So it befell
the 1923 Kansas legislature to place
an "anti- moonshine" law on the
statute books. This law provides
q penalty of six months in Jail and
q fine up to $500 for any one found
guilty of having a still in his posses
sion.
Heretofore the mere possession of
a still was not necessarily evidence
of guilt: it was necessary to prove
trafficking in liquor. 1t was neces-
sary that the officers produce as evil
dence the liquor sold. bartercd or
given away"
Two bills were introduced in the
recent legislature to make the sale
of liquor causing death first degree
but both bills were killed in
committee.
The federal internal revenue COL
lector's efforts to collect taxes from
"moonshiners" whose still may be
seized, is made easier by a new law
which makes the filing of such fed
cral tax lien with the register deed of
any county equivalent to a chattel
mortgage against the property of the
alleged illicit liquor maker.
Michigan. - No prohibition bills
were passed. Three were introduced
Saloon League, suggesting that
felony, furnishing poisonous liquor
punishable as manslaughter, and that
of soft drink establish
ments and pool rooms be required to
waive their rights under the search
and seizure laws. All passed one
branch, but died in committee in the
other.
Minnesota.-With the passage Of
by the 1923 legislature
to prohibition laws in effect, Mime
sofa stands out Dre-eminentlv in
having the most drastic prohibition
laws of any state in the Union.
Under the provisions of the new
laws it is illegal to possess a formula,
recipe or directions which are de-
signed for use. or used for, or in con-
nection with the manufacture of in