Evening star., 1923-02-26

of intoxicating liquors. Government
officials say this Is absurd. They
argue That the number of addtcts
hasn't increased very much, but that
the prosecutions have been more
vigorous because at last Congress has
appropriated enough money to en-
force the law against peddlers of
narcotics.
There is a feeling also that the
publicity which some newspapers
have given to the dope question has
increased to some extent the users
of dope because OF the inevitable eff
feet of lurid stories on the imagtna-
tion of weak minded people. Govern
ment officials think there has been
altogether too much said in print
about dope and that more harm than
good is done by the argument that
painting the evils is a preventive.
They think it. works the other way
and tempts MANY who would other
wise never hear about drugs.
Haynes Disputes Figures.
Estimates have been printed from
time to time that the number of drug
users run from 100000 to 100000.
Mr.. Haynes, the prohibition commits
sioner, who also enforces the law on
narcotics, says his experts believe
there are not more than 100000 to
100000 in the whole United States.
who must be taken care of in insti-
tutions and the business and profess
sional class who must be cared for by
physicians, relatives and friends. The
severely with dope peddlers. SEN
! tences have been as high as twenty
years per individual. Limitation Of
production Of dope is another legis-
lattve policy which Is expected to help
the drug situation.
xvt,
liquor Is held to be separate and dis
tinct. Officials in the Department Of
Justice say they cannot accept the
theory that prohibition has increased
| the number of drug addicts because
liquor has not been so scarce In the
last two years that a man with a
desperate thirst couldn't find a boot
logger somewhere or even make
some If he needed 1t.
Success I'm Ten Years.
/ 1t has taken seven years to make
the government enforcement ma
chinery efficient In handling the drug
! traffic. Many prohibition officials
think 1t will take seven years to
handle the liquor problem as well.
Prohibition Commissioners HAYNES
| thinks the peak Of "bootlegging' has
been reached and that in ten years
America will be relatively dry, that
Is violations Of the liquor laws will
pc reduced to the same level as VIOLA
IONS OF other laws such as thievery,
| assault and fraud.
90, confessions Of the ing-leaders in
bootleg" operations are already help
| ing tne government. By turning
states evidence to save their own
SKINS, some criminals have implicated
others: The government is constantly
after the "bootlegger higher up" Once
he is squelched the little fellow will
De unable to get regular supply
gers the chances of blackmail, the
hazards taken in attempting to bribe
ofnciais who may at any moment be-
| tray the vfolators of the law, all this
doesn't make the profit worth the
| risk, especially IL good liquor becomes
| scarce and the public gets fearful of
diluted or poisoned whiskies, thus
cutting down the volume of purchases
Depends Upon Administration.
America will get drier and drier if
the next administration follows in the
| footsteps of the present administra-
ton for system of prosecution and
enforcement is being built up which is
| bound to get results especially as the
! states lend their cooperation
| Whatever one thinks about the mer-
! its of prohibition or about the wisdom
or unwisdm OF the laws now on the
statute books. whatever one may hope
| for in the way of modification, the
pleasant or unpleasant truth is the
arm OF the law Is drawing closer and
! closer and with the assistance of a
| changing public sentiment in many
: communities is making substantial
progress.
Enforcement Is Coming,