Evening star., 1932-06-12
BY DENIS TILDEN LYNCH.

'\1E most VICIOUS members OF tNe
criminal underworld direct the
countrys bootleg industry. Many
i are assassins who slay without
scruple, murder being part of
the days work With them killing is
as instructive as is the determination
of their partners in the political under
world to remain in public life. The
same motive inspires both-greed.
When it is remembered that this in
dustry yields an annual gross return
of $4,000, 100000 to S5,0000 100000 to
dealers in alcohol, cut whisky-there is
little real whisky obtainable outside of
the honest drug store, where it is sold
on prescription-beer and other alco-
holic beverages, and that the scattered
boards Of directors Of this industry are
without conscience, it is easy to under
stand why 5000 gangsters were killed
by rivals since the reign OF terror
started in 1924, and in this list is in
cluded the occasional Staying of a
political protector of the twin under
worlds.
These killings, arising chiefly from
trade disputes, have been most nu-
merous in Chicago and New York. In
both cities the police have done little
more than to record the names of the
dead gangsters on the ever-growing list
Of unsolved murders.
Huge Annual Losses.
The magnitude of the business and
its extraordinary profits are indicated
in the pamphlet published December
1881, by the United States Treasury
Department, entitled Statistics Con-
corning Intoxicating Liquors. This
shows the value of the property Of the
owners of the bootleg industry seized
in the fiscal year ended June 80, 1881,
was $21, 1,484. .73029 In addition, boot
leggers paid during the same period
fines and penalties of $3,447, ,558.88 in
the Federal courts. and the Government
also collected $586,1 1883 under the tax
and tax penalty provisions of the ma
tional prohibition act
These losses, aggregating $25,518,-
438.85, were the smallest in five years,
when the average annual loss in seized
property, fines and penalties exceeded
$30,000,000.
What legitimate business could long
survive yearly loss of S30,000000?
But this Is only part Of the losses
sustained annually by the business, as
the report reveals In the same II
months 63.177 bootleggers were arrested
by the Federal prohibition officers and
1924 were taken by State officers with
the aid of these agents. The cost of
legal talent to defend these 76,4O1
prisoners would add s3233O45 to the
industry's loss in 1881, using the low
est sum involved in defending boot
logger. s45, as a multiplier. The Illicit
manufacture and sale of liquors is the
largest business in the country, but its
account books, like its murders, are
shrouded in mystery.
There is no way of definitely gauging
the number employed in the industry,
which forms the backbone of the aris-
tocracy of organized crime and cor
rupt politics. But it is not likely they
exceed 100000. Writing in the Ameri-
can Magazine of June, 1882, Gen.
John ]. Pershing said there were more
than 100000 enlisted in this "crin-
inal army . which defies govern
ment."
Known Facts Reviewed.
Let us consider the known facts.
The Federal census of 19l0-the last
taken in prohibition days-showed
70,657 wage earners and 1886 salaried
employees, total of 86,243, on the pay
rolls of brewerieS and distilleries. For
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1917.
before wartime prohibition went into
effect, there were 172,317 retail liquor
dealers and 668l wholesalers in the
United States, according to the United
States Treasury Department reports.
The retail liquor license indicated
drug store, a grocery store, a bottled
goods place or saloon. These were
never classified: but In the first year OF