The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1923-10-19
port OF the driest days in wettest Chi
cago:
afraid to Open Up
cago:


was the report from most of the desk
sergeants 'Nobody's got nerve enough
to open up
"One of the saddest sections of the
city, from the beer folks point OF
view, was the Des PLANES street po-
lice district. Time was when this
haunt of the fioaters and Dos rivaled
the Barbary coast of Frisco for plain
and fancy varieties OF hell. From the
river west to Ashland avenue, from
Harrison north to Kinzie, it was filled
with barrooms and brothcls and gun
play and gambling.
with the advent OF prohibition
things didn't change so very much.
The saloons promptly boosted their
prices, and the days when BIO could
get four finger shot and glass OF
beer and some breakfast for a nickel
were gone forever. Cigar stores and
barber shops added booze to their
stock in trade. Little girls, daughters
OF moonshiners whose dingy kitchens
had been transformed into distilleries,
delivered half pints to customers for
IS cents.
Despite the Eighteenth Amend
nent 240 beverage licenses had been
issued to soft drink places in the Des
PLANES street district during the last
year. In one Madison street block, be-
tween Jefferson and Des PLANES
streets, there were eleven saloons.
Yesterday exactly ten places re-
manned open in the entire district"
.s Mayor Gains Public Support
Mayor Dever's stand for enforce
ment has brought him enthusiastic
commentator from individuals and
organizations throughout the city and
from all parts of the country. All of
the newspapers except the Tribune
continue to back up the mayor with
strong editorials. The Chicago Tribune
after long silence has published two
editorials in connection with the De-
yer cleanup campaign. In both pro-
hibition was bitterly attacked in the
characteristic Tribune fashion. In one
editorial the Tribune argued that pro-
hibition is contrary to the principles of
Americanism and in the other the
Tribune printed this reference to the
mayors law and order campaign:
Great states, the largest in the I'm
ion, are in protest against this law.
Elections are carried by vets because
they are vets. If Chicago could have
mayoralty election next month it
probably would elect a wet because
he was a wet. He could be clown
or knave and the people would take
him if he'd promise to let the police
go back into the beer business and
keep their hands off the bootleggers
except for a reasonable percentage"
Councilmen Uphold Mayor
For some time there have been ru-
mors that the city council would fight
the mayors enforcement program. 1t
was minated that the wet majority
would repeal the ordinance under
which the beverage licenses have been
revoked by the mayor. Later indica-
tons are that the council will take no
steps to handicap the mayor in his
fight. The Chicago Herald and Ex-
aminer on October 10 printed these
quotations from prominent Aldermen:
Alderman Coughlin-I am with him
heart and soul in every way. His has
been the greatest act of any public Of
fetal in recent years. Not SO much for
closing the saloons as it is humane
act. He is saving the people from poi
son beer and moonshne which have
filled the hospitals, left many blind and
wrecked the health of others. The
sooner everything is closed down tight
the sooner we will get light wines and
beer.
Alderman Fick-I am not pro-
hibitionist, but | believe the mayor is
doing the right thing. AS long as peo-
pie can get moonshine they let the
other fellow do the fighting to get
light wines and beer back, but shut
off their supply and they will holler
and shout.
Alderman Ross A. Woodhull-Any
iaw-abiding citizen could not help but
be with the mayor and law enforce