◆ SpookStack

THE NEW ERA WARS OF THE GANGS bad. Suddenly.money was easily earned without hard work. Many adventurers joined the colors of one of caught doing so a jail sentence or possibly a bullet the warring countries. from an investigator was the result. So-called The advent of the U. S. into the War in 1917 in- "snoopers" were ridiculed and held in disgrace by tensified the quickly changing situation. Men were fighting men who laughed at "the adventure." removed from quiet communities and contented Taxes increased. Work decreased. A law-making work to become hardened to bursting shells, blood, orgy just then seemed to infect the daily-grinding law misery, crippled limbs. The world became filled with makers. It was estimated that two million laws, each shell-shocked dissatisfied individuals who wondered with penalties attached were being enforced. The how! and why this all came about, tracing the.cause country became a camp of law breakers. Bootlegging to an invisible master-force at the top, so flexible, so became an art that was not considered either crim- vast, that no finger could point it out. inal or offensive'to the average citizen. Extremely It was during this time, when men and women alert and energetic men became "rum-runners." Out- were occupied with the largest event in the world's standing among these were the large dealers, who had history that reformers, with the aid of "Big Busi- zoned agents. The amount of money supplied for ness" leaders, amended the U. S. Constitution to pre- prohibition enforcements, although mounting fast, vent the use of Liquor as! a beverage; a principal ar- were almost useless in face of the fact that a large gument being that only sober people are safe with majority of the public considered the whole "experi- intricate machines. ment" impractical.. After the Armistice of Nov. 11, 1918, as the Amer- Lack of law enforcement, Political corruption, and ican Nation's heroes returned from countries that have the breaking down of (the Courts was the natural re- no illusions about the pleasures of home life, they sult. Juries would not often convict! Headlines of found a changed homeland. Their gathering places newspapers seldom even mentioned new inventions, were vacated, many of them with "closed for one social scandals or other news. Gang wars between year" signs on the doors; while housewives simply zoned liquor agents, Political Murders, Bomb explo- could not understand. why it was a crime to crush sions, Battles with officers in which machine guns, fruit to make wines. armed boats, armored cars and airplanes were used No revenue to the state was necessary in order to on both sides, were common occurrences. Murdered make beer or stronger drink, but if anyone were men or women were found at almost any place. Police 5