The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1930-05-01

shift this burden responsibility prohibition certain
it is that it doesn't in the mouths of officials with
duties prohibition enforcement to do SO, until they
have made some effort to enforce the law.
Time and again in these columns we have pointed to
the major responsibility for the unspeakable conditions
under which Chicago is suffering For confederation we
turn to the similar conditions in New York City and
quote the careful and studied uterance OF Major Maurice
Campbell chief prohibition administrator formally de-
Hvered before meeting of ministers of that city,
"In pre-prohibton days the criminal the crook the
gangser and others of that type down to the race
tout used to hang out in the saloon-today their
hangout is the speakeasy and the night club In pre-
prohibition days the saloon regulated ana conroneo
bv the local authorities If we did not have the
prohibition we probably would not have speakeases but
we would then have the old saloons. Prohloltlon IS
not responsible the $4,000 speakeases that the police
commissioner claims there are in New york. Iher eX-
istence in any number directly attributable to the fact
that State of New York and the municipality OF New
York City responsibility for the traffic and the
sale intoxicating liquors. It almost incompre-
hensibe in this enlightened day that state or mu
ncpay having the welfare of the city at heart should
permit the sale of intoxicating liquors without any sort
of police supervision.
us it any wonder then that, in denying all respon-
sibity for the traffic in liquor and with no regulation
from the police except what they to inherit from
law the speakeasy situation IN New York City
has become stencil in the nosrs of every decent Cit
izen?
1.-THE speakeasy situation should not attacked from
which the police directly responsible
Ninety per cent of the crimes committed in this city
have their inception in the speakeaSes, and great ma
jorty of the many unsolved murders would probably
never have been committed if the police had made
earnest effort to stamp out the speakeasy evil.
Imagine the condition that would rise in this great
city if the police local authorities disregarded
regulation of the traffic in our streets.
Such situation is inconcevable.
would the automobile and truck be blamed for the
confusion and banshed from use?
There many times violations of the traffic
York City than there violations of tho
prohibition laws but Go you hear anybody saying that
the traffic laws are unenforceable?
THE speakeasy situation is analogous.
They can be closed if the police authorities want them
closed and they can closed under existing
1.-The only thing required is the will TO act
Thousands of speakeasy complaints reach me- and in
the great majority of instances violations OF other state
laws recorded.
"I speak Of gambling, prostitution and many major
crimes have made it practice to acquaint the police
commissioner the several county district attorneys
with these complaints and conditions, but for
reason the commissioner feels warranted in ignoring
them and invariably returns them without inVes-
tigation consideration.
81 knoW-the mayor knows, and the police commission
knows-that long these speakeasies exist any
solution of the crime situation is impossible.
Through the sale of liquor in these speakeases cri
mails and gangsters are financed
1.-The proceeds permit the perfect organization tho
rackeeers who murder and rob- It provides the money
for their defense in and money for the
bribery Of public officials.
Prom the record anG papers seized my many raids
night c,os and speakeasies know of these criminal
operations"