New Britain herald., 1923-10-27
BOOTLEGGER LOSING
 GROUND JUDGE SAYS
Clandtsllns PurVtyOr of Drink to
 Be Curbed by Public

GE8 AAAaEMt wv MhH " eM ANNHh~0 given at the school 0f citizenship af the League Of Women NelsEs ai Lam son hall. Tale university, last night, William n. Boardman, former judge Of the Bridgeport police court sAr pressed the opinion That the nr0hibi- ton law is here 10 stay, Judge hoaFd- man spoke on s'I.aN Enforcement in a Manufacturing eits With Special Reference To the Prohibition l.ass,"
 Part Of Judge BoaFdman's address was devoted to describing conditions Tn Bridgeport. Later he spoke on the general topic of prohibition enfeTee- ment and said that the public will soon curb the bootleggef.
 In a section Of his address devoted to statistics. Judge heaFdman said that in New Britain the arrests for drunkenness dropped from is7 and ss6 in isia and 1918. respectively, 10 ssi and ass in 1881 and iass, arrests Tor breach Of the peace. etc.. from ao7 and tii to 2os and si6, and to- tai arrests from ists and sii to 6i2 and sis.
 Judge Boardman's talk in part fol- lows.
 salooas Gan Be Closed
 "The Jaws of Connecticut. to say nothing of the laws or the United states. are entirely sufficient 10 close the saloons. IL has been done and it can be done again. Personally, think that the saloon keepers and any who are wlnking at the continuance Of the saloon in business. thinking that pub iic sentiment will support them, will be woefully disappointed if ever pnb- lie opinion has an opportunity to ex- press itself on that point
 "The saloon can be as easily dis covered and demobilized as sore thumb. A saloon equipped with bar. front and back. brass rail. beer pump, and glasses. can only have legal business reason for existence today. .thor because the proprietor owns the building or the lease and has been un- able to sell the same or put it 10 other uses; or because he expects his old business to be legalized. The profit on near-beer will scarcely pay for light and heat. When intoxicating liquor and intoxicated persons arc found dbOut tIC pidNtt tcihahO' ''i'' '| mands but one answer.
 Local BOotlegger
 Certain parts of the United States have. undoubtedly, gone on somewhat of a spree. It is one of tho hopeful signs, however. that when particular state or county is accused, Its repre- sentative or someone living there and claiming knowledge. springs to it's de- fense with a denial. And. this credit to two things:
 "1. The conditions are not as bad as represented.
 "2. The imputation of disregard of the law Is still recognized as a dis credit to the community and it's rep resentatives.
 "An appreciable part of the popu- lation, however. has adopted boot logging or buying liquor directly or indirectly from bootleggers, as ma jor sport. They know that the busi- ness is forbidden, and like children and Adam and Eve. of old, being for bidden, they want all the more the thing forbidden. doubt if the extent of lawbreaking on that account is as great as many believe t to be. And further, I believe that after they have had their fling and shown that they can do 1t, though forbidden. they will realize the benefits that the law has even in three years brought about, or most important of all, that disrespect for the law brings great evils in it's train.
 Public Will Curb Bootlegger
 'The American public Is good na- tured, but in the last analysis are good sports. As such, they like to sec the game played according to the rules, The game of bootlegging knows. no honor and no rules. There will be periods of observance and of non-ob1 servance, but ultimately the people will insist that 1t be observed as well at least, as the law forbidding the sale of narcotics. the law forbidding fifty different things connected With operating an automobile. and the laws forbidding dozens of things connected with health. The bootlegger as at present rating. seems to be willing to forge, perjure himself, bribe, com- init highway robbery. smuggle, and otherwise defraud the government be- sides committing the usual minor crimes. The American public is good natured, but the day will surely come when they will become provoked at the bootlegger to the same extent that they were angered at the saloon keep CT and his packers and insist that law and order prevail
 "Personally, l look to see this come fairly quickly in Connecticut. This IS the land of steady habits. Its general assembly is controlled by representa- lives from the towns, where steady