The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1924-02-01
THE KALEIDOSCOPE
BY /. c. McCUMBER

ern city, and that report was to the
effect that certain city was the
most law abiding place in the United
States when it came to- observing the
eighteenth amendment We parked
our car for lunch time, and smelt the
ozone. Within two minutes we had
connected with contraband, and was
surprised to find a prominent enforc-
ing official, so was informed, taking
quiet nip for himself. The differ
ence: paid for my drink in cold hard
cash, and he simply winked his eye.
Here is package for Mr., Black
burn," said gentleman in one of
the southern cities as he handed the
gentleman of colored persuasion a
hefty lift, after the doorbell to beau
tiful home had aroused him.
"Who am it shall say called ?"
asked the f1unky.
Never mind my name; your mas
ter will understand"
Mr.. White had just returned from
an auto ride into an adjacent state,
and he was busy unloading his car.
He called upon four or five of his
friends, and at each place deposited
la package.
In two or three days those friends
received memorandum reading like
this: Upon looking over my ac-
counts, find that you are indebted to
me in the sum of $40. This most
likely has been inadvertently over
looked by you"
This was merely polite way of
informing those friends that Mr..
White had been out in the Sticks y
returned with fifteen or twenty gal
Ions of moon" from the wood, and
had not forgotten them. On the
other hand when Mr.. Blackburn took
trip, or had the time, he likewise
returned the compliment. Those are
the men who voted their state "dry''
constitutionally, to the end that the
white men of the South would handle
the money, drink the liquor and the
colored man must do the work This
is not conundrum. 1t is a practical
object lesson which is being worked
very successfully in some of the
northern state
Slowly but most surely man step
ped from large touring car in a
southern city. A city that had ex-
perienced the beneficent and quieting
influence of statewide prohibition for
almost two, decades. AS he stepped
from his machine he reached one
hand up under his armpit, as if to
remove something from an inner coat
pocket. Hardly had he reached the
ground when the following colloquy
was heard by bystanders:
"You black-hearted -, you have
been double-crossing me for the past
year. We might as we'll settle this
double-crossing once and for all"
''You black-hearted bootlegger,
don't you dare speak to me in public +"
Bang, bang! Bang, bang! and four
reports from revolvers echoed around
the busy corner. Hardly had the re-
ports gone reverberating up and down
the streets, than two slumping forms
decked the sidewalk and street. One
was that Of federal enforcement
official, the other the form of prom
inent traffcker in so-called illicit IL
quor.
AS a daily paper stated it, there
had been bad feeling between the two
men for some time. 1t appeared that
the officer would take liquor away
from the man whom he shot, and turn
about and solicit to other illicit deal
ers. This is one phase of our official
life that prevails in those states that
have tried prohibition constitutionally
for many decades. How many decades
will this condition of affairs continue
throughout the United States?
A suggestion has come from the
financial sharks of the city Of Cincin-
natl how to make up an apparent
deficit in 1924. 1t must be evident
that they have heard of some southern
cities. 1t is suggested that fines
upon bootleggers and traffickers in
moonshine be more heavily assessed
and thus the officials win both ways
If the fine is not Forthcoming, the
citizens pay board to the sheriff and
| the sheriff can make nice little sum
over and above his keep This would
be handed out to where it would dc
the most good among the politicians
Catching one law violator, so-called
and debauching whole lot Of off.
cials. Isn't it fine game, this merry
go-round of the hypocrites?