Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-30
PRATT ACTS TO HALT
SMOKE SCREEN USE
Police Told to Arrest Owners
of Cars Equipped to
BaIk Pursuers.

Believing that most of the spectacular
chases of rum-laden cars equipped with
smoke screens are unnecessary, Maj
Henry G. Pratt, superintendent of police
today made drastic move for safe-and-
sane capture of the bootleggers. while on
Capitol Hill Senator Capper, chairman
of the Senate District committee, came
to the support of the Police Department
In its effort to enforce the law.
In general order to the force, the
direct result of half dozen thrilling
oy the police. Maj. Pratt commanded the
arrest of all persons known to possess
. smoke screen device. The mere pos
session of smoke screen apparatus, he
pointed out, is a felony, and any auto
mobile so equipped should be seized and
the driver arrested.
Believes Rum Cars known.
Maj. Pratt acted on the theory that
members of the department, particu-
larry those engaged in prohibition en-
forcement, know some of the rum cars
by sight, and by capturing tnem before
they attempt to rush through a load
of liquor and escape by the use of a
smoke barrage, many of the episodes
like those of the last few days will be
avoided.
There seems to be an idea," said
Maj. Pratt, that 1t is felony only TO
actually use smoke screen and that
the officers must catch person in the
act of using one before be can be prose-
cuted. As matter of fact, the mere
possession of such device or a ye-
hicle equipped for attaching one is a
felony, and if the officers can arrest a
man who owns one before 1t is put into
use the necessity of break meek chases
in the small hours of the morning, with
policemen firing through binding
clouds of smoke, will tend to disappear .
Several officers of the department
have told Maj. Pratt they knew the
owners of many of the smoke screen
devices and where they can be found.
Senator Capper in expressing the be-
lief that that police are making an
honest effort to enforce the prohibition
and other laws, said the instance last
week IN which a suspected bootlegger
was shot and killed by policeman was
regrettable
While uncertain as to how far the DO
lice should go in firing at the bootleg
gers, he declared the use of a revolver
is question of discretion on the part
of the personnel Of the Police Depart
ment.
THE only way to obtain effective en-
forcement,' he declared, sis to let 1t be
known that rum running will not be
tolerated"
Senator Capper said he has no addi-
tional legislation in mind at this time.
but If local enforcement authorities be-
lieve further legal provisions are needed.
the enforcement forces in Congress
would act.
Liquor Car Captured.
Only one rum runner was spied by the
police last night, and with no smoke
screen apparatus to aid him, he lost
his cargo to the eleventh precinct police,
who have been smoked" several times
in the last few days.
The liquor-laden car sped past Po-
licefen B. r. Campbell and w. II.
Humphreys on Good Hope road SOUTH
cast, and they gave chase, but at Alta
mont place and Naylor road the car
halted and the driver escaped in the
darkness. The liquor and machine were
confiscated.
The law governing the use of smoke
screens, according to Mai. Pratt is sec
, ton II of the act of Congress- March
3, 1925, which reads, in part:
mo individual shall knowingly G)
have in his possession any device de-
signed to cause emission from motor
vehicle of dense mass of smoke COM
monty called a smoke screen: (2) use
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