Evening star., 1934-04-29

ing no illegal production, 1t would still
be apparent that while those seizures
were going on, the Nation had been
absorbing and demanding, in addition
to the whole legal supply, the product
of capacity greater than that of the
legitimate industry. But any assump-
ton that the 1884 seizures would
eliminate the Illicit plants would be
ridiculous. 1t is hardly open to doubt
that the unseized stills are now, and
will remain, able to produce at least
as much liquor as, and probably good
deal more than, those which will be
put out of action this year.
That vast illegal capacity is not
there for the bootleggers' health or
pleasure. 1t unquestionably is being
used. The persistence. year after year
of the immense numbers OF seizures
shows that Illicit distilleries are re-
placed as fast as they are seized. This
could never happen unless they were
needed to meet the demands OF the
boOtleggerS' business. II any great
proportion of them were being used
much below their practical capacity,
the requirements would grow fewer
and fewer, and the seizures would de-
crease. 1t seems probable, therefore,
that the bootleggers are now turning
out from their stills alone, not count
ing smugglings and alcohol-divertings,
a quantity of spirits which cannot be
much less. and may be more than we
drank before prohibition.
Points to Huge Demand.
This quantity is being consumed in
addition to the entire sales OF legal
goods, which, ever since repeal. have
run not far below e-prohlbltion
figures. All this means that the drink
ing habits of the people have increased
more than has been imagined even
by the pessimists, that the existing
demand, if only it could be confined
to legal manufacture, is great enough
to absorb at least all that the legal
industry can supply; that the Govern
ment is losing more taxes than it gets,
and that a colossal criminal industry,
necessarily highly organized, still ex-
lists. and still exerts its debauchlng
tendencies on every governmental
agency.
If any progress is ever to be mace
in either control or temperance, IL
ever the expected revenue IS to pe
realized. this criminal industry must
be DESTROYED. The Federal enforce
ment agencies are not to be blamed.
They have done wonders with the very
limited means at their disposal. They
have been operating with approprla-
tions set at or below prohibition
standards.
The means at their disposal. now
decreased, were originally granted in
a half hearted effort to enforce an
unenforceable law which masses OF the
population did not want to have en-
forced. The present task OF the au-
thorities is, however, no longer i'm
possible. Revenue laws can be en-
forced. With adequate support from
Congress, the public, the prosecutors
and the courts, the job can be done.
Every dollar spent in roofing out the
criminal producers will be recovered
many times over in taxes. We must
stop burying our heads in the sand
and see to 1t that enforcement is
brought about
Remedies Proposed.
The means to this end should in
clude the following obvious steps:
First, there should be greatly in
creased appropriations for enforce
ment. Second, a campaign should be
started and maintained by every Or
ganization interested in temperance,
including all honest drys and repeal
lists, to arouse public opinion and
compel the aid of every police and
prosecuting authority, local and State
as well as Federal, to press for ef-
ficient and drastic action. Third,
there should be immediate adoption
of every reasonable means Of cheap
ening and improving the legal product
and to induce all decent citizens to
Withdraw support from the bootleg
ger. Fourth, there should be such
reduction in taxes and import duties
as will enable the legal producers and
importers to compete. Fifth. there
should be relaxation Of such forms
of sales-control as will make it
harder for the buyer to get legal bev-
erages than illegal goods.
These measures would eventually
destroy the illicit industry, not In any
short period, but within thes time
which it will take the legal distillers
to enable their plants to furnish
enough respectfully aged liquors. We
could then begin the process, which
has been so successful elsewhere. Of
discouraging hard-liquor consumption
by increased taxes and restrictions
and by relaxing control Of beer and
wine. Till then high taxation will
merely reduce revenue and close re-
striction Of legal sales will serve only
to stimulate violation Of law.