The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-02-13
RIM RUNNING ON HUGE
SCALE CONTINUES IN us
TWO MILLION GALLONS HAVE
REEN sMUGGLED FROM BA-
uAMAs SINCE PROHIBITION.
IKE A PAGE FROM FICTION
C.rsational Disclosures Made in Ac-
count of Operations Since United
States Went Dry. Rum Ships Ply
;nq Their Trade Fly British Flags.


;no Their Trade Fly British Flags.
WASHINGTON, D. C.-Sensa-
.;onaI disclosures of the vast extent
~ the organized smuggling of liquor
iron, the Bahama islands into the
United States we're made today by
conservative John Jacob Rogers, re-
o,bIican. Massachusetts,, ran kin g
member of the house committee on
foreign affairs.
On the authority of the state de-
oartment Mr.. Rogers stated that b.
moo gallons of liquor had been
s,orpgled from the Bahamas since the
I,nited States went dry. A large fleet
n British ships is engaged in the 1ll1c--
i traffic, the island government and
merchants are rolling in new found
wealth. one of the rum running mag
mates is an officer OF the government
and the profitable business is con-
doned by the British officials.
The Massachusetts, congressman
confessed he had been astounded by
tbe magnitude and boldness OF the
contraband traffic, with which the
British government appears no more
disposed to interfere than with the
blockade running from the same base
during the civil war.
Traffic at It's Height.
i have been advised by the depart
ment of state that 100000 gallons OF
liquor have been Struggled into the
United States from the Bahama is
lands since the prohibition act became
effective" said Mr.. Rogers. More
than half of the illicit liquor has been
brought to this country during the
past year. The traffic is at its height
today. In the early days OF prohibit
ton Jew tramp ships inaugurated
the practice. Their profits were such
that great capital and organized pro-
cedure were introduced with the re-
suit that present smuggling between
the Bahamas and our north Atlantic
coast ports is an established, If illegal,
practice. The government OF the is
lands is deriving relatively immense
revenues from the traffic. In 1877 the
amount was $1,200,000. With some OF
the members of its executive council
and the merchants of Nassau enrich
ing themselves thereby there is abso-
1utelv no public sentiment against the
practice.
Sensational Disclosures.
The official data which l have re-
ceived reads as from a book of fiction.
From, 1917 to 1919, inclusive, when
no liquor was reshipped from the is
lands the average annual imports
we're $4,000 American proof gallons:
This, it may be said, is the extent OF
the consumption on the islands. What
happened in 1920? Even at that time,
before the smuggling became system
atized, the imports were 445,00O gal
Ions. In the following year the total
increased to 56S,000 gallons. The eX--
act figures for the year just ended
have not been tabulated, but for the
first nine months OF 1922 the imports
amounted to 100000 gallons and the
quarter ending December 81, last, Will
bring the total for the l2-month pc
Rod to 100000 gallons. Thus III three
years there were released from the
Bahamas customs for consumption
2,213,000 gallons. The 213,000 gallons
are a generous allowance for liquor
drank on the islands.
The Bahamas certainly are the
oasis OF dry America. To the last
quart, | am advised, the liquors are
shipped to the United States All told,
100000 gallons have found their way
into the country, all the way from
Norfolk, Philadelphia and New York
as far east as Boston. When the
smuggling first began some vessels
would lie off the port of Nassau,
would be secretly loaded and would
dg0art without papers. Other ships
would be cleared in ballast but sub
seQuent to clearing would be Loaded
with liquor.
Vessels Fly British Flag.
The practice is different now that
the illicit trade has been fully organ
led. The vessels, nearly all flying the
British flag, will clear for the French
port of St. Pierre, Miquelon, or Tor
Iampico, Mex In the first instance
the vessels really unload their cargoes
off New York or some other north
Atlantic port; this was the case OF the
ships which kept the dry navy SO
busy beyond the three-mile line, OFT
New York. a week or two ago. In the
second instance-that of Tampico
clearances-the actual destination IS
New Orleans or some gulf port.
AS a matter OF fact the ships never
proceed to the ports for which they
have cleared, but lie off the American
coast and are met by Encouragement
outside the three-mile limit by small
but speedy American motor boats.
Under an old practice, introduced by
boats engaged in sponge gathering,
the ships are allowed to enter from
high seas Truly this Bahaman prac-
tice is a Magma Charta for the whisky
smugglers. OF equal advantage to the
Smugglers, if any of their vessels are
driven into American ports by stormy
weather, they are technically British
ships whose papers disclose a legal
voyage and they are permitted to de
part with their cargoes. l may say in
this connection that So vessels, of -
9-9 net tons, were engaged in this
r~ltfTr -, 1000 -