Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-13
TEAMWORK HELD
NEEDED ON BORDER
Mrs. WiIIebrandt BIames
JeaIousies for Permitting
Smuggling From Canada.
Continued From First Page. J

The press reports tell of the mobili-
Zation by the prohibition unit at or
near Detroit of hundreds of additional
agents, Investigators and super-investi-
gators to investigate the agents and
investigators. The published reports
say:
ut was decided there should be an
Immediate increase in the dry army's
three units. More automobiles as well
piled, according to the Treasury pro-
hibition chief"
Then there are dispatches telling of
the assignment of 81 more patrol boats
to the west end of Lake Erie and the
Detroit River. including 10 75-foot fast
boats, carrying men each and rapid
fire guns.
But 100 or even 1000 additional
boats could never stop the leak at De-
troit, or any other border point, II they
were not used more efficiently and more
, honestly than prohibition forces have
been used in the past where liquor
flows across the border.
Certainly the beating of drums and
the issuance of mimeographed threats
of great prohibition offensive will not
aid the Government forces in gathering
evidence of the kind necessary to con-
vict the leaders of the big liquor rings
a
after the evidence is gathered and the
defendants are in court, facing sworn
testimony of the kind necessary to in
sure prison sentences. Rum runners,
even though some Government men
nave not yet learned it, are not scared
when Uncle Sam hollerS "Boo!' But
they do begin to get nervous when even
q few OF their number and especially
the men at the top of the liquor ring
q . Il <l1L 49, %
OF Uncle Sans boarding houses!
History Repeats Itself.
The present situation at Detroit is
by no means new to me. The basis of
that f-congratulatory pat on the
back is letter which I wrote to the
Attorney General more than four years
ago. on July Is. 1925, to be exact.
The letter was written after I had
spent several days in Detroit comforting
with the United States attorney cat
that time DeloS Smith, a young man
of aggressive policies), Federal judges,
special agents of the Customs Service,
the United States consul in nearby
Canada, State police, and special agents
OF the Bureau of Investigation.
Here Is part of what l reported to
the Attorney General-and please re-
member that the report was made four
years before the Treasury Department
became aware, publicly at least, of what
was happening at Detroit:
II cannot overemphasize the neces-
Sity of using every means at our COM
mand to bring home to the Treasury
Department the need of strengthening
the customs protection against snug
Cling in the vicinity of Detroit. At
present there are tremendous quantities
of liquor, narcotics, other contraband
and great many aliens, all coming
across the border at Detroit. It is a
port of entry for Illicit struggled goods
distributed in St. Louis, Chicago and
other points west. Smuggling is carried
on by railroad and by boat. This
means paying off several men in the
railroad employ and one or two GUS
toms inspectors. It will not be difficult
to get this evidence. 1t is essential
that an investigation be pushed for
ward without delay to uncover the de-
1aulting railway and customs men. j
"A number of customs men are under
suspicion. An able special customs
agent has no power to control them.
He should be placed in charge and
made to feel his responsibility for re-
suits. He should be given at least a
dozen fast boats to patrol the river.
He should be given authority to in
veStigate and remove customs men who
are unfaithful to duty.
THE prohibition directors Office is
In a thoroughly bad state. The Office
of the Bureau of Investigation is well
managed by Tom Wilcox, an energetic,
ambitious, thoroughly honest and hard
working official. He has gone beyond
his assignment to cooperate with the
United States attorney and has done
It under heavy odds because the police
conditions in Detroit are so demoralized
and because the prohibition Office is
so puerile. If we are to enable the
United States attorney to get results,
we must take the lead in urging the
Treasury Department to reorganize an
inefficient prohibition Office and CO.
ordinate and put morale in their allied
investigation services like customs"
Did this report and these recommen-
dationS bring results? They did not.
Here are the conditions that prevail at