| Show Time to Face the Issue Squarely A recent statement by Chief of Police Reed E. E on the question of violation of state laws concerning sale of intoxicating cating eating drinks and gambling in private clubs focuses attention on the crux of the problem relative to enforcement of the no- no the sale-by-the-drink law Jaw in Utah The problem is Who's going to enforce the law Chief was obviously reluctant to take the job on his own shoulders although he answered that police would investigate investigate investigate upon receipt of any complaint that a private club was violating violating violating vio vio- lating the law However he added that the police department had followed the policy that chartered clubs were un under er jurisdiction first of the state with his department having only secondary jurisdiction Chief didn't say that he be was ignorant of the law Jaw vi violations lations in private clubs One of the detectives on his squad however said he didn't know v w where ere most of the private clubs were located which located which would seem to call for a little special education Any officer who doesn't know his way around the city must be woefully handicapped in the discharge of his duties The trouble with liquor enforcement is that policy as enunciated enunciated enunciated into law Jaw and control as carried out in practice is on the state level along with the profits of liquor store operations City and county law Jaw enforcement agencies naturally look to the state which makes the law and the regulations and profits from the liquor business todo to-do its own policing Any city commission or the officials of any county might on their own responsibility decide to enforce to the letter state laws forbidding sale sal by the drink But But- they quite logically look to the state government to establish the over-all over policy for Utah And we think it is about time that the state decide that policy one way or the other After all aU the state has assumed control of the liquor business and has taken for itself the profits profits profits-it it cannot fairI fairly dodge responsibility The present situation is ridiculous We Vc are following a sanctimonious policy of strict liquor control while we wink at widespread violation of the law And the violations are by no means confined to the private clubs be because ause there are widespread widespread widespread wide wide- spread violations of the the sale law Jaw in places of amusement Wee We have reached the stage where we have in fact a good deal of sale of liquor by the drink in Utah Utah entirely entirely without regulation and control and without any financial return to state or local governments although a favored few are making huge profits on this illegal business It is a condition which should not be tolerated any longer The state legislature now in session ought to face the situation squarely and honestly It should either legalize sale by the drink under a stipulated system of licensing and careful regulation or it should insist on stringent enforcement with severe penalties for any officials who fail in that regard The Telegram believes a legalized and carefully controlled system of sale by the drink would be preferable to the present system of unregulated violation But that's something for the legislature to decide The important thing is to face the is issue ue squarely instead of hiding behind a sanctimonious front of rectitude rectitude rec rec- while the e bars go merrily along behind our backs |
