The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-07-16
LAX
AND BOOZE
EASY TO GET
Randall Visits Detroit Inmed-
lately After Officers
Clean Up City,

IdtOIJ HllOi OiliOOio
Clean Up City,
c. A.. Randau author of the follow
ing article. is member of this papers
Washington staff. He was assigned
several weeks ago to find out how pro-
hibition is being enforced. and to re-,
without trying to prove anything, other
- than to present the facts. This is the
q fifth of a series of six articles.
By C. A. RANDALL
NN the first page of the Detroit
News of June 23 there appeared
this item:
AN agent of the Federal pro
hibition department from up
State found Ecorse and down
river wet spots dried up today.
Royal e. Decker, assistant Fed
eral prohibition director for
Michigan, said he sent the out
of.town agent there to investigate
the effectiveness Of the dry navy's
blockade, which has been in force
a week.
This man looked as thirsty as
anybody you have ever seen, and
he looks that way all the time"
Decker said. IF anybody could
get drink. he could. The bar.
tenders told him they had no
booze, didn't know when they
would have any, because the boot
leggers were stalled"
had gone to Detroit IN the hope
OF finding a large city where liquor
was hard to obtain. Only ten days
earlier e. c. Yellowley. chief. gen
eral prohibition agents, ard a staff Of
assistants had invaded the automo-
bile capital and after a few days an
nounced they had cleaned up De-
troit"
Haig & Haig at $40
Though I had been in Detroit only
three hours when I saw the above
item regarding Ecorse. had already
been offered a bottle Of Haig & Haig
5-Star whisky for $40, and had seen
whisky sold openly at so cents a
drink over a bar on Woodward Ave,
Detroit's principal business, street.
Walking along the street looking
for the next bar I decided tC make my
second trial with my coat over my
arm and my hat in my hand.
In the same block I came TO bar
room which had removed the typical
swinging door and replaced 1t with a
screen door.
Along the bar were seven or eight
men. They were leaning over the
bar to such an extent that could
not make out. without too close ex-
animation. Just what was being con-
sunied.
went to the end Of the bar. sew
eral feet from the nearest customer.
and asked for a drink of Scotch. at
the same time placing a half dollar
on the bar.
Glass of Scotch
without a word, the bartender took
an unlabeled bottle from the cabinet
behind the bar and poured out a glass
and placed 1t before me.
'Set 'em UP over here" was a COM
mand from along the line before the
bottle had been replaced in the cabi.
net. I don't know what the other
customers had been consuming, but
I do>know four OF them bought drinks
of the same kind I had obtained, and
mine was whisky. poor, raw stuff,
but hard liquor none the less.
put my hat and coat on and tried
still another bar. Scotch" I re-
quested. without further ado. and out
came a bottle labeled Vat SO" This
brand is a high class Sanderson
whisky. very popular in Scotland, but
little known in America.
Much stuff coming across now?"
I asked the bartender.
He seemed surprised at my ques-
ton, but said, Sure, It's the same
as always"
Ecorse. an absolute stranger. had
obtained whisky in two places. The
town may have been dry in the after
noon. but it wasn't dry for patrons
who came in coatIess or with whisky
breaths.
Exposes Lax Enforcement
This experience in Ecorse is i'm
portant for one reason only. 1t makes
a direct exposure of the desire Of the
prohibition enforcement personnel to
give the impression that their work
IL completely effective.
Perhaps the most effective method
OF prohibition enforcement vet dis
covered is that in effect in Ohio.
Under the State enforcement acts,
mayors of towns are given jurisdic-
ton. insofar as prohibition cases are
concerned, throughout the entire
county in which their town OF village
Is located.
This makes it possible for one mayor
to arrest violators in another town
or city, Where large cities are with
in reach this means easy "pickings."