Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-09-14
THE CLOCK STRIKES
FOR JOHN BARLEYCORN

The making OF mashes, as part OF
the process OF distillation OF intoxicat-
ing spirituous liquors, ceased on
Thursday morning. The fermentation
OF the vegetable matter entering into
these mashes ceased on Saturday
night at IL D. m. Distillatfon must be
proceeded with Immediately il produc-
tion is to be legalized under the pro-
hibition section OF the food control act.
Practically, distillation of spirituous
liquors has now become illegal in the
United States until the close OF the
war. The importation of distilled Ii
quors Is forbidden. The United States
Food Administration has made a rul-
ing that the terms foods, fruits, food
materials, or feeds, In the act include
all cereals, tubers, fruits, grape cheese,
apple cheese, fruit parings, cannery
refuse, beet sugar, molasses, sour wine
and all other foods. fruits, food mate
rial, or feeds, and the by-products
thereof" Spirits fermented while the
law is operative must bear this label
on warehouse barrels: These spirits
were produced from materials fermcnt
ed after September 9, 1917. All per
sons are warned that their use in Tho
manufacturing or preparation of bev
erages, or their sale for beverage pur
poses, will subject the person so us
ing or selling them to a fine of no
exceeding 5000. or Imprisonment fo
not more than two years. or both"
This is specific and clear. There cal
be no more fermentation of material!
for the purposes OF distillation int
beverages while the war lasts. Blu
there Is an immense stock of distille,
liquors on hand. With the spirits dis
titled out OF the last mashes, 1t is est
mated by one closely associated wit
the traffic, there will be in bond 225
OOO,CCO gallons OF rye and bourbo
whiskeys in the warehouses OF tn
United States, and to this stock mus
be added something like lC0,CC0,CC
gallons OF liquor in the form of viii
key, rum, gin, and so on. in the 81
looms. hotels, clubs, and wholesal
houses of the country. The consuml
ton is about 100000 gallons
year, so that, II these figures be al
copied, there is a stock of liquors o
hand equal to the normal demand I
three years.
1t remains for the president 10 sa
whether or not the surplus liquC
now in stock shall be permitted to c
fend a large part of the population
the country, and menace the welfal
OF all the people in these trying hour
The president is empowered, by Il
food control act, to take over the @
tire liquor stock, and redistill ii f
the making of munitions. Alcoh
necessary to this purpose must be pr
duced, and If the stock now in boz
and in the hands of jobbers, Who'll
salers, clubs, saloons, and private pc
sons, is not seized and so utilized, v
shall have the spectacle of the Cou
try unnecessarily Withdrawing gre
quantities of food material to meet Il
munition demand. How Illogical al
even ridiculous this will be, in vic
of all that Is said with regard TO &
Importance OF food conservation, mu
appear to every thinking person.
The prohibition of the manufactu
and sale Of spirituous liquors shou
now be made real, and not merely fiC
tIous. The time could not be mo
opportune for a stroke that wou
render the resumption of distillati
at the close of the war, to say {
least, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
81 a-n NntnN TN ~ NnnF