Evening star., 1923-02-21

writer and gave their candid opinions on
law enforcement and the outlook.)
There's a federal Judge in the United
States who fined a "bootlegger"
cents and turned around and lent him
the 5 cents with which to pay the
fine.
There's another federal Judge who
bootlegger," and, turning from the
courtroom to his private chamber.
took a large drink of whisky.
There are dozens of United States
attorneys who do not like prohibition
and whose appointment to Office was
in every case strongly opposed by the
Anti-Saloon League, but these same men
are prosecuting "bootleggers" and Sc
curing convictions right and left, and
the Department of Justice is thor
ouShly satisfied with their work.
Conceptions Of Duty Vary.
Such are the extremes which one
finds in examining the human equa-
tton in law enforcement. Zach has
MS own conception of what comprises
duty and fidelity to an oath of office.
i'hese conceptions are in many cases
being changed from day to day.
Boring slowly from within by every
process of persuasion known to alert
crusaders, these Anti-Saloon League
people, on the one hand. and govern
ment prosecutors, on the other, are
making headway in the campaign to
make public officials respect the law
themselves
The record may or may not seem
Imposing according as individual
OnlnlOnS NJ Of
lattons of the law being practiced
from coast TO coast. But the Depart
ment of Justice is authority for the
Information that out of the eighty
eight judicial districts in the entire
United States, with reports recently
received from all but three districts
where the district attorneys have been
i'll, the total number of cases pend
ing is 21,S50.
Now the number of defendants in
each case varies. There are as a rule
at least two and sometimes as high
as ten, especially in raids. The num-
Der of cases won by the government
in the last eighteen months amounted
in each case might be as many as
five or six, and usually not less than
two. Statistics have not been kept
as to individuals, but from the fore
going it may be inferred that APP
proXimately $4,000 persons and doubt
in a year and A half for participation
in the liquor traffic.
Soft Drink ParIOrs Not Included.
These figures do not include the
thousands of soft drink parlors which
have been closed by Injunction. The
injunction process, by the way, is an
effective weapon for it doesn't require
any trial by jury-for juries that will
convict are not always easy to find.
The government suspects that liquor
is sold in soft drink saloon and
gets an injunction from the federal
frain from selling any liquor. If the
Volstead law is violated. it is not
necessary in that case to haze the
matter brought before juryy Any
one who violates an injunction is IN
contempt of court and can be SEN
fenced Immediately and put in Jail.
Looking over the figures for the
last eighteen months one finds that
some states have federal judges who
do not take law-breakers seriously:
The state of Kentucky is good
state in the sense that officials here
construe the term good for the
records shown that out of 500 cases,
a total of 100 years in sentences
were imposed. This should be COM
pared with the state of Alabama
where 400 cases were tried and the
aggregate sentences were one month.
In other words, only one man went
to Jail out of 400 cases and only for
thirty days
MASSACHUSETTS Indifferent.
Massachusetts, was almost as in
different with 246 cases and sem
tences amounting to two years and
three months. Michigans 273 cases
yielded penalties of twelve years and
and three months. Illinois had S93
cases with a total of sixteen years
and six months. New Jersey, which
has a nationwide reputation for wet
ness. had 410 cases, but one of the
energetic judges assisted somewhat
and the total of sentences amounted
to forty-five years.
New York and Ohio furnish inter-