New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1930-04-17


and, last of series of stories pre-
senting an impartial survey of con-
ditions under Ontarios liquor con-
troll law.
BY BRUCE CATION
Ottawa, Ont, April 1.-THE
Dominion of Canada is on the verge
of clamping down hard on the bust
ness of exporting liquor TO the Unit
ed States; and the rum-runners who
lave. got rich out of the traffic are
divided between JOY and despair.
Despair-because the Dominion
means business. and the job will
be a great deal harder than it
ever has been before.
Joy-because the prices Of
smuggled liquor will 80 sky
rocketing, and the runner
who puts up with the increased
danger will make much more
money.
Under the urging of the Right
Honorable William Lyon Macken-
zie King, prime minister of Can
ada. Parliament now is engaged
in passing new law prohibiting
al, clearances on liquor cargoes
destined for the United States.
Premier King points out thai
under present conditions govern
ment officials, issuing legal clear
ances to ships carrying liquor to
the United States. are direct
links" between the brewerics AMI
distilleries, on the one hand, and
the rum-runners on the other.
This is condition" he re-
marks. that l believe the citizens
OF this country when they under
stand it would not wish to coun-
tenance.'
This law will undoubtedly di-
minlsh the flow of rum over the
border. 1t is going to cost Canada
plenty, too.
At present the Dominion gov
eminent profits to the extent Of
about s15,oO0,OO0 a year on this
traffic, an excise tax of 50 a ga
Ion being collected on all liquor
cleared for the United States. In
addition, it is anticipated that the
Dominion will have to spend
around s10,009,000 to enforce the
new law. All in all, Canada will De
out about SIS, 100000 a year.
The Canadian press is far from
being unanimously in favor Of the
bill. Some critics complain that
the laws chief effect will be 20
make the export of liquor an I'M
foreground business. Quebec Is
largely opposed to it, and there is
good deal of opposition in On
tario.
However, the chances are that
the bill will pass. What will hap
pen then?
At present it is perfectly legal
as far as Canadian laws go, TO
export liquor to the United States
The exporter loads his liquor at a
government dock, makes out his
clearance papers and sails away.
The new law will make it i'm
possible for such vessel TO get
clearance papers. The rum-run-
ners, simply scoffed when they first
Herald this proposal.
That's easy" they said. in e.
feet. We'll simply get clcaranccs
for Havana, or Nassau-and then
we'll land our liquor in Detroit, Or
Buffalo, Just as We always have"
But the government caught OIL.
So the law now carries a provi-
SION requiring any exporter, on his
return, to present TO the customs
officers of Canada his clearance pa
pers-duly stamped and signed BY
the collector of customs at the port
for which he cleared.
That is, il he clears from Winl-
sor, say, for Havana. he must re-
turn with documentary proof that
he actually went to Havana and
lande1 his cargo there. If he does
not, he will not be able to get any
more clearance papers, and he will
be subject to q heavy fine.
Thus it will be impossible TO