Evening star., 1923-07-01

En- HAS LII LIE IdANtE-
purpose of boosting the trade in boot
leg stuff; put out, perhaps. not by
the rum runners of the sea, but by
those on shore who want their pa
irons to get the idea that the stuff
they buy is part OF the Imported"
stock. You can see how they take
every opportunity TO prey on the
Fullibility OF the public.
"If tho people who buy the stuff
that the bootlegger declares is part
of shipment that was sent direct
from Scotland could trace 1t back to
its point OF manufacture. they would
find that II might have been made in
a rudely constructed still or in some
filthy cellar, and that instead of being
the pure stuff, it was merely a con-
cootion that was hastily thrown to-
gether for the sole purpose Of being
sold to what some call the one-time
buyer; that is, the fellow who likes
to have something in his cellar that
looks as II it had come from the
other side of the ocean.
The bootlegger knows that after
q taste Of the stuff the customer will
buy no more. for he will realize that
he has been properly 'bunked.' 1t
is this class of buyers that the boot
logger tries to find, for he is never
troubled by them. they take their loss
and say nothing to any one, and they
are not like the regular customers
who put up a kick If they think they
have been handed an inferior quality
of stuff.
NCOME people have gathered the
~ impression that our men and
those cooperating with US have been
told that we must be nice and gentle
with these sea smugglers, but want
to say that our men have received
orders to shoot whenver 1T is neces-
sary, and if you think they will not
carry out their orders. you are very
much mistaken. They are a brave lot
Of men, and the fact that they may
be killed by the rum runners does
not appear to enter their heads at
all. They know what is expected of
them and they carry out their orders
to the letter.
"In this work we are using a few
vessels OF our own, as well as revenue
cutters, boats that are the property
OF the customs service, and some
others that are owned by the govern
ment. 1t is not possible with our
present force, to throw a complete
Gordon around every port in the
United States, but we are covering
many places and each day the work
of the sea rover Is getting more
strenuous"
When asked about the principal
ports from which this contraband
stun is shipped, Col. Jones said:
"A great deal of the stuff that the
smuggels carry is put on board their
vessels at some port in the West In
dies. This is a well-known distribut-
ing point for them, and If you should
happen to be in one of the we'll
known ports, you would see that the
cases from abroad are landed there
and then they go into retirement fol
a while. 1t does not take any great
stretch Of Imagination to figure ou
| why this Is so, for the great bulk Of
| stuff that Is sent from abroad is doc.
| for the smugglers to handle. have
! no doubt that most Of the stuff 1:
| fixed before it reaches the West In
dies. but on the other hand lot o,
| 1t Is readulterated after 1t reache:
the point Of general distribution.
VERY little of the whisky that 1.
brought in could properly be termed
good stuff. Some of 1t is doctored sc
as to make three quarts out OF two
others go far beyond that, and some
| Of them make 1t four to one. A lot
Of the so-calied imported Scotch
whisky that Is. Dragged about by the
| bootlegger is made out of an inferior
grade Of alcohol and then doctored ur
to give the appearance of genuine
stun. They use coloring matter ant
a certain thing to give 1t that smoky
taste. Some have used creosote
which, Of course, is wonderful thing
| for the delicate membrane of tn,
stomach.
''Of course, If person stops tt
think, he will realize that very few
cases Of liquor before the Volstead &C
went into effect were so carried a.
to permit their coming in contact will
the salt water. yet there are thos,
who will buy this stun, and wher
they are told that 1t Is pre-war stuff
they believe 1t. because some one ha!
| soaked the labels in salt water.
X X
t<>F late we have found II mos
" desirable to use airplanes 70
scouting purposes. and 1t is reall.
surprising how quickly one of thes,
air scouts can pick up a rum runner
There is no chance of the latter at
tacking the planes, for they can fl.
at q height that prevents any ar1na
ment of the smugglers vessel from
! reaching them with shot or shell, an,
I might say in this connection tha