San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-29
MAY Use ARMY
AND NAVY IN
. RUM CAMP |CN
Booze Running May Be
Classed as "Insur-
rection."
WOULD. EMPLOY SPIES
Government Determined to
Show That Dry Law
Not a Joke.
WOULD. EMPLOY SPIES

Washington. ID. C.. April 2s.-Thc
federal government tonight prepared
to concentrate its might in finish
ing blow at violators of the prohibit
ton law on land and sea. to drive
them forever out of business and
TO pound into the public conscience
the knowledge that prohibition is a
fact--not a joke.
If the government succeeds in it's
ambitions of drastic law enforcement,
within few months whisky now sold
illegally by thousands Of barrels will
be as scarce as opium, and those who
pcddle it will be classed with drug
vendors and other social outcasts.
IL the public can be taught so 70
regard them. half the battle of en-.
.orcement will be won, officials here
declared tonight.
Could Use Army md Navy.
A manifold program drafted by nG-
ministration officials may include the
declaration that rum runnink end
bootlegging constitute an "insurrec-
ton and LIQUOR law vio!ators %
rebels. Such step would enable
the President 70 order thu whole
military and naval forces OF the gov
eminent into action, II necessary.
Administration officials believe that
n show OF determination by the fed
oral government in enforcing the law
would speedily sober the public mind
and end the preyalcrt disposition t.
take the Nolstca,l act a. n Joke.
The administration program con-
templates moving swiftly against boot
leggcrs and rum runners as soon as
the Justice Department returns ia
yorable ruling on the power Of the
President to use the army and navy
in prohibition enforcement.
\ Cooperative Policy Fails.
Prohibition Commissioner Haynes
policy of relying on the cooperation
of county and state officials in sup
pressing liquor law violations has
failed TO produce results, high Off
cials admit. The daily record of
booze hold-ups, deaths from wood al
cohol. revelations of corruption among
prohibition officials and the appar-
emily limitless supply of liquor avail
able in large cities proves this, they
say.
Once begun, the "clean up" cam.
paign against booze will go on I'M
til the government has demonstrated
its mastery of this problem, high
official promised tonight. While
plans are as yet tentative and de-
pendent upon the findings of the De
partment of Justice, after care
full search of the law as 10 how far
the administration can 60. the cam
paign, as sketched by officials, will
consist of:
To Build "CIean" Force.
The building up of "clcan" prohi
bition enforcement force. by means Of
vigorous wedding out of corrupt and
inefficient agents. This is now in
progress. ..r
The concentration of enforcement
agents at plague centers." or cities
where bootleggers and smugglers. join
forcess TO distribute their contraband
liquor.
The creation Of n line of naval
vessels, fast and heavily armed. be-
tween the three-mile limit and the
shore, with orders to prevent by any
means necessary the landing of liquor
from rum runners.
The possible use Of the Marine
Corps or regular army units ashore
TO re-enforce the navy. Such units
would be stationed at strategic points,
with big army searchlights and prob
ably with an air fleet 10 watch the
waters for evidence OF
crafts.
Would Employ Spies.
The use of the army and navy in
telligence forces, in connection with
the regular secret service of the pro-
hibition enforcement service, in FER
reting out information in the Ba-
hamas and other West Indian islands
and in Mexico and Canada of the inn
pending presence of smugglers with
cargoes from abroad. so that these !
cargoes could be headed off when |
brought to the shores or boundaries of
the United States. s5
The making of arrangements with !
the British government that will re-
suit in reducing the amount of liquor !
brought to the United States or TO adj !!
jacent points in British ships.
Such negotiations have been going |
On for some time.
President Harding is personally di.
recting the mapping out OF the cam
paign. which he intends shall be the
blow against booze run
ners.
While neither the President nor any
other government official hopes in 4 |
lew months 10 make the country abso-
utely dry, eor to stamp out bootleg
ring. the feeling prevails that the adj
will make great progress
towards that end in any event, and
he government can demonstrate that
il is not helpless before those who
now openly DEFY il.