Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-05
Senator Sheppard Carefully
Considers Objections to Dis
trict Prohibition Bill.
MAY OFFER AMENDMENT
IF ARGUMENTS JUSTIFY
Protest Made Against Clause in
Measure Which Limits Sale Of
Grain Alcohol.

Senator Sheppard of Texas, author ol
the bill for prohibition in the District
of Columbia. which is now on the Sen
ate calendar, said today that he was
looking carefully into the protests OF
druggists of the District opposing
those features of his bill which would
limit the sale of grain alcohol BY
wholesale and retail druggists.
If he became convinced of the justice
of the protests of the druggists. he
said, he would be inclined to offer an
amendment modifying the restrictions
now in the bill
ber of the subcommittee of the District
committee which reported the prohibi-
tion bill to the full committee. and
who was instrumental in having the
bill later reported to the Senate. said
on the other hand:
The provision of the bill which per
mits the sale of grain alcohol In the
District by five wholesale druggists
permits the sale by just FIVE too many
In my opinion, grain alcohol should mo-
be sold at all for medical purposes
Many physicians have reached the con
clusion that whisky and other alcoholic
beverages are not needed now as stim
ulants, for they have others much bet
ter"
Contention of the Druggists.
The particular provision of the bill
to which the druggists are opposed
limits the sale of grain alcohol to five
wholesale druggists, and includes ir
this limitation the sale of wood or de-
natured alcohol, and also prohibits the
sale of more than five gallons to any
one person at time, and provides that
a permit must be obtained from the
District Commissioners to buy. before
any sale can be made. The cost of thi:
permit is 25 cents, and small druggists
needing grain alcohol would be put OF
the same basis as private citizens.
So far but few of the protests from
the druggists, of whom there are some
235. wholesale and retail. in the Dis
trict have reached members of Con-
gress. Senator John Walter Smith
chairman of the District committee. has
received five. Four of these are print
ed forms and one was .ypewritten
letter.
Liquor Interests Arrayed.
The liquor interests of the country
are leaving no stone unturned to de-
feat the District prohibition bill, feel
ing that to have prohibition estab-
lished in the capital of the nation
would be a severe blow at their indus
try. Letters and kilograms are pour
ing in to many of the senators and
representatives in large numbers, par.
ticularly from those states where
large wine. liquor and brewing inter
ests are located. Senator Harding OF
Ohio already has received some SOC
kilograms from persons in his state
protesting against the enactment o1
the bill into law.
On the other hand, many letters ant
kilograms are being received from the
"drys" in various parts of the country
Senator Kenyon of Iowa has hearc
from a number of supporters of prohi,
bition in his state demanding that the
District dry bill be passed.
Now that the Philippine bill is out o.
the way in the Senate, there remain.
only the water power bill to be dis
posed of before Senator Sheppard move.
to take up the District prohibition bill
If he carries out the notice which h,
gave in the Senate at the time thai
measure was reported to that bodyi
Program May Be Blocked.