The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-04
HOOSIER EDITOR
IN EAST NOTES
LIQUOR ABOUNDS
MunCie Man Says High
Price of Drinks Only
Dry Law Effect.

Bv Times Special
MUNCIE, Ind, Jan. 4.-Wilbur E.
Sutton, editor of the Muncie Press.
who is on a trip in the east, writ
ing back TO his paper declares New
York and other cities in that section
openly fout the prohibition law and
that the only complaint citizens have
against the dry measure is that 1T
causes high prices for liquor.
Following is one of the reports by
Sutton:
New York people don't discuss
prohibition. The reason appears TO
be that thET don't know anything
about it. Still, that is not literally
true. They blame the prohibition
laws for the high prices Of liquors.
These prices are what make them
know there are such laws on the
statute books.
'In MOST cities where bars are
running as they are in New York,
it is at least necessary for the
patron to have some kind Of card
to show he is all right or be ac-
companied by one who is known to
the bartender. No such rule OBJ
tains here.
ITO be sure. you are required TO
have cards to gain entrance to
certain places. but that is because
they are exclusive and not because
they fear you may be an officer who
will turn them up.
Officers Drink, Too
"And speaking OF officers. some
times the regular trade has diff
Guilty in lining up to the bar, owing
to the congregation Of bluecoats.
There has been considerable COM
plant about this on the part Of the
cash customers and some threats
have been made to report such Of
ficers to Grover Whalen or Jimmy
Walker, or somebody.
1.-THE way the national prohibit
ton laws are flouted in the east is
a revelation TO an inlander And
the apparent utter Inconsistencies
of the average man or woman that
there is anything extraordinary
about entering a saloon or reStau-
rant and calling for any kind of
drink that may be wanted, is re-
markable At least they must be
given credit for being quite open
and above board about it all.
"And the stores cater openly to
the drinking trade. It is likely
that it would be impossible to buy
beverage appurtenanceS in a book
store or a baby clothes shop. but
these are about the only places that
come readily to mind where this
could not be done
"And this situation is not alone
true of New York proper. Far
more open than New York City it
self is Hoboken, which is in the
state of New Jersey, across the river
by ferry or tube from New York.
ION the way from a certain no
tel there down to the tube station,
last Saturday night. I counted four
teen screened windows fronting the
street that were said to be open
bars
OId-time Bars Flourish
ain the hotel itself was a bar ex-
actly like the hotel bars that used
to be in the Delaware and Kirby
hotels at home-mahogany, brass
rails, bottles on the back bar. mir
rors. white-aproned bartenders and
all.
1.-THE password to this saloon is
merely the price of a drink. Below
in the same hotel Is Bavarian
rathskeller. with no questions asked
provided you buy food and drink.
"In a saloon in Greenwich Village
the free lunch consisted of bologna,
liyerwurst. cream cheese and crack
ers. It was warm, that afternoon,
and the doors were thrown open
to the street.
ITO get a right slant on the Sltu-
alton. a HooSier must understand
that New York has no prohibition
enforcement laws. 1t has refused
tn cooperate with the federal gov
eminent in making the eighteenth
amendment "stick." That is because
the sentiment of the people is over
whelmingly "wet."
And it is said there are 10000 or
10000 or some such trif1ing number
of sspeakeaSieS' in Manhattan alone.
But nobody speaks easy in them.
For the most part the managers
keep these places we'll regulated. in
contrast with many saloons in the
old era. They do not cause much
open trouble
1.-The truth Is that in a week in
New York city I have seen but one
patiently drunk man and he was
trying. Intellectually, to catch che
ferry for Hoboken.
ION the streets of HOboken, how
ever, the tale was different. The
'drunkS' there reminded me OF
scenes on Walnut street in Muncie
on Saturday nights twenty years
ago after big pay day in the fac
tories. They do not seem 10 regu-
late their drinkers so we'll in Hobo
ken"