Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-13
MRS. W|LLEBRANDT|
PUSHES DRY CASES.
Prepares 10 ForestaH Pad
lock Removal in New York.
More Raids Expected.
BY LEMUEL r. PARTON.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, September l3.-The
play play record of prohibition en-
forcement here continues to give Mrs.
Mabel Walker Willebrandt either put
out or an assist in every frame. With
. her padlocks smashed, or at least badly
bent. by a Federal Court ruling, Mrs.
Wlllebrandt and her assistants promise
legal action which ought to keep the
night club cases in the court until
Texas Guinan goes to the old ladies'
home-with rivers of sucker money
flowing down to the sea in the mean
time.
It is not United States Attorney Tut
tie. who does the pinch hitting for Mrs.
Wi!lebrandt, but Norman j. Morrison,
her own special assistant from WaSn-
ing.on. Robert B. Watts, Mr.. Tuttle's
assistant, was in court here this week,
but it was Mr. Morrison who did most
of the heavy work in case involving
alleged violation of the courts orders
by one club in removing property from
its barroom.
Imports SleutnS.
Today attorneys for the clubs were
expected to prepare the necessary
orders for the removal of the padlocks
from the 26 clubs raided June %, In
accordance with the ruling OF Federal
Judge Thomas d. Thatcher, who eX-
pressed himself as shocked" by the
action of the Federal authorities.
Prominent ginmen were rejoicing over
this when, late last night, the whisper
was waited up and down Broadway
and its damp by-ways that Mrs. WILLIE
brandt had routed several carloads OF
sleuths right through to Forty-second
and Broadway. The word went out mat
1t would be best to stand by until Mrs.
Willebrandt subsidized. There are no
indications that she has any idea OF
subsiding. Night club owners brighten
their children by telling them that Mrs.
willebrandt will get them If they don't
behave.
The recent Federal enforcement activ-
files have undoubtedly been responsible
for the decentralization OF the booze
racket in New York. One defunct
night club is the germ of a score of
sneak-easies. This is the golden age
of the speaks as they can them here.
Sedate old residential neighborhoods are
like grand danes suddenly taking TO
Gin There is a quaint intermingling
of new and old currents Of life in these
surviving strongholdS OF the old van
Hoouhen- hyphens Here is an inventory
of one exclusive residential block.
Zoning for Saloons.
One nlacid old church with colonial
pillars: one high brown literary publlca-
ton; one exclusive private school; the
Headquarters of an ethical culture So
ciety: the residence of dean emeritus
of the Episcopal Church; Is speak
easies. This observer saw an austere
old lady, turned out in somewhat We
torian style, alight from her carriage IN
front of her residence In this dock ana
survey with her lorgnette double row
of taxicabs. bringing to their nights
revels the patrons of the adjacent speak
easies. Her expression indicated that
she would like to deal some kind OF
misery to somebody.
There Is serious talk here OF some
kind of plan for a city coming system
for saloons, to meet situation which
has arisen not only in this but IN other
cities. There seems to be little hope
that Mrs. withdrawals broom will be
able to sweep back the waves OF the
sea, so far as the speakeasies are con-
cerned. The question among property
owners and heads of families is the pro-
lection of residential neighborhoods.
The problem is aggravated by the fact
that, with their increasing popularity
and success, Che speakeasies no longer
speak In whispers. The once rather
delicate office of throwing out DRINKS
is now performed Justify and noisily.
So far as one can observe, the speak
easies have no reason for secrecy.
A passing note in the bibulous annals
OF Father Knickerbocker is that the
popuiace is turning heartily to beer and
away from gin and wine. Beer halls,
where the crowds pick up the old SEN
timental songs where they left OF 10
years ago, are multiplying In numbers
almost daily. They are damned to the
gunwales and needed beer lis now Is
cents stein.