Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-04-10
NO RELIEF FROM CITY FOR
LIQUOR DROUGHT THAT HAS
GRIPPED LOWER COUNTIES
Wholesale Dealers 10 Have Meeting This After
noon 10 Talk Over Hazel Anti Shipment Law
and Possibility of Tesf---Cau Ship Yet From
Outside State.
EXPRESS AND RAILROAD COMPANIES
BAN BOOZE FOR KENT AND SUSSEX POINTS

n Kent and Sussex counties had to
depend yesterday and today upon
shipments Of liquor from this city to
quench thirsts, there would be ana
doubtless are some nightly parched
throats in the lower counties The
Wilmington Wholesale dealers In IL
Quors are obeying to the letter tha
Hazel law prohibiting the shipment
of beer and liquors into local option
territory" so far as Kent and Sus-
sex county are concerned. and the
Adams Express Company. also is obey
Ing that law and will not accept ship
ments within this State to the two
lower couhtics that voted dry sew
eral years ago.
While there is much talk OF a test
Of the consututionality OF the Hazel
law. so far no formal step has been
taken TO have the Court pass on the
statute The subject is TO be consid-
cred by some OF the liquor dealers
and others who would like 20 SEQ the
law knocked out at n meeting this
! afternoon In this city.
While the Hazel bill prohibits ship
ments into Kent and Sussex coun-
ties from this county, some interest
ing questions have been raised that
may require the courts interpreta-
tlon. One is as to whether the Hazel
law can prevent shipments from 9TH
er States into Kent and Sussex coun-
ties The impression among lawyers
generally Is that II cannot prevent
such shipments. The Webb-Kenyon
bill. passed by Congress, is supposed
to prohibit such shipmnets, but Il
does not 60 into effect until July 4.
Meanwhile the express companies
can accept shipments from Philadel-
phia or points outside OF Delaware
for any place in Delaware, which will
alleviate some thirsts for awhile
down the State.
Another important question raised
is. as to whether under the Haze
bill liquor could be shipped from vii
mington into rural New Castle coun
ty. as II prohibits shipments int
local option territory" Under tn
Constitution. Wilmington Is a loca
option district and rural New Cast
, county Is a local option district, an
! Kent and Sussex are local option dif
! tricts. While the intent OF advocate
of the Hazel bill was TO ban shipment
4, into Kent and Sussex counties, duel
= tion is raised as to whether or not
! strict enforcement would reot prever
, shipments from Wilmington into rlrs
, New Castle county by common car
rier. This view is not taken by tn
local dealers. who. while shippin
into rural New Castle county, are NO
shipping 10 Kent and Sussex counties
Some ways of eyading the law ar
suggested by students Of the drought
, One Is for local dealers to taxi
orders and have them shipped by
Philadelphia house for them int
Kent and Sussex counties Anothe
method would be TO haul liquor
r from Wilmington TO a point outsid
! the State, such as Linwood, and shil
: them from there by express 10 dow
. the State.
Another method suggested is for al
4 automobile with FIVE or six person
: to take a trip into Kent County, a
. under the Hazel bill one person cal
r carry a gallon of liquor daily int
( local option territory. One man o
+ an inventive turn OF mind has evolves
5 plan of having an automobile true
I, loaded with booze near the Ken
county line where automobilists VIII
: had ordered II previously could cal
y to get their supply. and from whicl
an automobile parties could TAX
booze at the rate Of a gallon for eacl
passenger into Kent or Sussex. S
far as is known, this plan has no
been put into effect.
John Biggs, counsel for the Adam
= Express Company, and the Pennsyl
vania Railroad Company in discuss
ing the liquor shipping question to
day said. There is no change in III
n situation and will be none. The Gov