The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-08-14

veStigate and remove customs men
who are unfaithful to duty.
The prohibition directors office
is in thoroughly bad state. The
office of the bureau of investl-
CATION is well managed by Tom
Wilcox, an energetic, ambitious,
thoroughly honest and hard-work-
ing official. He has gone beyond
his assignment to cooperate with
the United States attorney and
has done it under heavy odds be-
cause the police conditions in De-
troit are so demoralized and be-
cause the prohibition office is so
puerile.
If we are tN 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
coordinate and put morale in
their allied investigation services
like customs.
America Shuts It's Eyes
Did this report and these recon-
mendations bring results? They did
not. Here are the conditions that
prevail at Detroit and elsewhere
along our northern border nearly
four years later, as detailed by one
of the members of the Canadian
cabinet, William C. Euler, to the
Canadian house of commons on May
81, 1929:
I have said something which
may appear a criticism of the
United States. I have no desire
to be offensive, but I think there
are some facts I should place be-
fore the house, in view of the
statements made that we are not
dealing in friendly way with our
neighbor on the south. 1t has been
stated that these boats go across
at night. That is not entirely
true.
I took the trouble last fall to go
down to Windsor. I was offered
safe conduct by a liquor exporter
and went out on a launch on the
Detroit river. I could see the
United States customs office on
the other shore, and could also
see that it was not difficult to
detect any boats that left the Ca
madam shore to go to the Amer
lean side. While in Windsor I
got into conversation with a man
engaged in the business of export
ing liquor, I asked him, do you
cross in the daytime?" He an
swered eyes; quite often" I said
How is it they do not get you?"
He replied with a smile, ut just
happens that they are not there
when we go across"
Our inspector went to Windsor
not so very long ago. He did not
select any special day. While
there, on Jan. IA, he observed the
following vessels cross the river
to Detroit in daylight with cargoes
of liquor:
Ben, J. King, master; 10 quarter
barrels beer, II cases whisky.
Rat, j. Sales, master; "a cases
whisky, 5 cases wine, l case
brandy.
Bat, A. Jacks, master; 10 cases
whisky, l case wine.
Rabbi, I. Straight, master; 5
half barrels beer, 8 cases whisky.
Bird, j. Bloom, master; Is cases
whisky, 8 cases bourbon, 3 cases
Scotch whisky.
Bar, j. Peters, master; IS cases
whisky, 4 cases bourbon, 3 cases
brandy.
That was in one day.
But that was not all that the
Canadian parliament was told by its
minister of national revenue. He
submitted report from the Cana
dian revenue collector at Bridge
burg, Ont, written in April of this
wear which told of conditions in that
vicinity.
Fail to See Smugglers
The collectors report was that
there were twelve boats plying be-
tween Canada and the United
States at a point where the river Is
about half a mile wide. Some OF
the boats carried from 800 to 1000
cases of liquor and they were re-
uuired to leave the Canadian docks
not later than p. m.
The Canadian officer said, INC