The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-04
MOTHERS Win
BITTER BATTLE
ON SPEAKEASY
Drink Shop Is Closed After
Appeal is Taken to
Hoover.
BY PAUL w. WHITE
United Press stan Correspondent

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NEW YORK. July 4.-The Par
ent-Teacher Association of public
school No. IS. st. Adams. Queens,
apparently has won a complete VIC
tory. after appeals to police. a dis
trict attorney or two. a prohibition
administrator. a congressman. the
department Of justice and President
Hoover.
This formidable array of official
dom was called upon in regard to
a speakeasy whose back door was
near the schools playground.
Today the speakeasy was closed.
A patrolman was stationed outside
TO prevent any parched customers
from entering.
The proprietor promised police he
would retire from business and sell
the bar and other furnishings.
No Action by Hoover
The triumph was chargeable, not
to the President or 10 the other
forces Of law and order, but to the
militant attitude Of Mrs. Ralph l..
p. Wallace. retiring president Of the
Parent Teacher Association and her
threat to picket the st. Adams oasis
until it was padlocked.
Mrs. Wallace, 43, a naturalized
American citizen, doesn't believe in
prohibition.
She thinks the eighteenth amend
fnent should be repealed. but she
believes further that as long as the
dry laws remain on the statute
books, there should be no speak
castles. especially near a school.
The children, she pointed out,
used to spend their recesses watch
ing inebriated gentlemen emerge
from the swinging doors and weave
a tortuous course down Central ave-
nue., the main street of st. Adams.
Five fellow officers of the asso-
citation agreed with Mrs. Wallace,
and said they would join the picket
lines at 10 a. m. Monday, if the
place remained open.
Mrs. Wallace. it might be ex-
planned, is something of a veteran
at picketing. She once served two
weeks in a Manchester England
Jail for her activities in behalf Of
Emmeline Pankhurst's suffrage
campaign.
Picketing Was Threatened
The embattled women conferred
with inspector Thomas Malarkey of
the Jamaica precinct and he told
them that to the best of his knowl-
edge the speakeasy was now serv-
Ing only near beer.
They retaliated with the charge
that the nearness must be simply
sensational and pointed out that
the place had been raided three
times before and liquor found on
each occasion. The raids just didn't
take.
Inspector Malarkey shrugged his
shoulders and said he would see.
The women then went to the Of
fee of United States Attorney How
ard M Ameli in Brooklyn, learned
he was out of the city. and we're
assured of his attention upon his
return.
Then Mrs. Wallace wrote to the
department of justice. to local pro-
hibition officials, to Representative
William F. Drummer and to PreSi-
dent Hoover.
The President replied, through his
secretary, Lawrence Mitchell. saying
that the matter had been directed
TO the attorney-generars office.
Assistant Attorney-General Young
quist wrote that he had put the case
before Colonel Woodcock, director
of prohibition.
Congressman Drummer merely said
that the problem would receive my
immediate attention"
Policeman on Guard
While all this was going on In
spector Malarkey got in touch with
the Speakeasy proprietor. The lat
te said, according to the inspector,
that he was through. that the pub
licity and picketing threat had been
very bad for business.
In fact. he added. he had already
sold the furnishings and was going
to leave st. Adams.
Malarkey detailed policeman to
see that this promise was kept and
Mrs. Wallace covered up the pla-
cards she was ready to carry Mon
day in the picket-lines.
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