AMERICAN PROHIBITION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19015, 10 November 1923, Page 10

AMERICAN PROHIBITION

CATCHING THE RUM-RUNNERS. NEW “SPEEDBOAT” DESIGNED. Frees Association —By Telegraph—Copyright WASHINGTON, November S. (Received Nov. 9, at 10.20 p.m.) Following upon conferences between Mr Haynes (Director of Prohibition), Mr Coolidg'o and Mr A. W. Mellon (Secretary of the Treasury), plans were approved for a Congressional appropriation of probably 5,000,000 dollars to construct a speciallydesigned seacraft patterned on submarine chasers, for the purpose of combating runners on the Atlantic coast. The vessels will bo speedy, and will be capable of overhauling the fastest smugglers. In conjunction with the search treaty with Britain, it is expected greatly to reduce the illicit liquor importations.—A. and N.Z. Cable. CAMPAIGN IN CHICAGO. WHOLESALE CLOSURE APPLIED. WASHINGTON, November 8. (Received Nov. 9, at 10.20 p.m.) At Chicago, _ Mayor Dover’s “dry” crusade is continuing unabated. He has closed 4031 saloons, soft drink parlours, and drug stores which wore illicitly selling liquor. Five police captains wore discharged for accepting bribes. One thousand persons are being held on charges of violating the “dry" law. Mr Dever estimated that drunkenness for the period had been reduced by 35 per cent., while other crimes and the arrests of motorists for driving while intoxicated were greatly decreased. —A. and N.Z. Cable. Mayor Dever and the City Council are at loggerheads over the question of ihe revocation of licenses to soft drink parlou. a. which, under a cloak of dispensing nonalcoholic beverages, soli vast quantities of “bootleg” liquor. The council voted against the revocation, but Mr Dover, with Ihe help of the police, closed eijtht such places. The Mayor claims that the city thugs and thieves have gone into “bootlegging,” as they find this more profitable than plying their own trades. The policehave started energetic measures to curb their activities. 827 persons being arrested in the last 24 hours on a charge of participating in illegal trafficking in alcoholic beverages. This traffic yearly returns millions in profits, and is said to bo undermining the municipal government and the Police Department by its system of huge bribes.