The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-09-08
NO WH|Skt:'><< &
TO Be MADE
AFTER TODAY
DistiIleries Stop Making for
Beverage Purposes
UNTIL AF Err WAR
Expected That the Business viii
Never Be Resumed Though Done
Now to Conserve Grain.

Washington, Sept S.-Manufacture
of whisky will cease throughout the
nation at IL o'clock tonight when the
prohibitive clause of the food control
act becomes effective, says dispatch
from Washington. Millions of bush
els of grain which would otherwise
be ground up for whisky will thus be
released for food How many mil
lions, no one knows for the manuafc-
ture of alcohol for beverage purposes
lis so closely blended with the produc-
ton of alcohol fc- industrial and
medicinal purposes that there is no
way of determining the exact amount.
OF the 100,000,000 bushels Of grain,
or thereabouts, which goes into the
cistilleries each year, about 40 per
cent. experts estimate, comes out in
the form of whisky and other dis
titled beverage drinks. The remain
der made into alcohol of exactly the
same characteristics as that used for
hHlOhJ, tNtAludlly I'D way iliAO
perfumes, toilet waters. bay rum, med
icines and to industries where dena-
tured alcohol is used in ever-increas-
ing quantities.
Approximately 116,000,000 gallons
of whisky is produced each year by
American distilleries. Production of
- -alcohei by the same distilleres for
,a,..o nfh
than beverages approximates 100000,
600 gallons. The manufacture of alec
hol for the latter purposes will con-
tinue as usual, probably in greater
volume, and few of the larger distil
leries, if any, will have to shut down
The class of distilleries which will
be put out Of business is composed
almost wholly of small plants operat-
ed by from one man to half dozen
men, located in California, Ohio and
New Jersey and producing brandy
from grapes, apples and peaches.
These produce approximately 1000,
600 gallons q year. Those in New
Jersey and Ohio, officials believe, will
suspend operations entirely The
California plants, it is thought, will
continue to operate, in part, for the
manufacture of spirits for fortifying
sweet wine
So far as officials at Washington
can learn, there are few distilleries in
the United States, with the exception
of the fruit brandy plants, producing
whisky at the present time. Summer
is the off season for whisky produc-
tion, which is confined almost wholly
to the winter months, the early
spring and the late fall The cessa-
tion of active whisky production,
therefore at this season of the year,
is largely theoretical, but the opera.
ton of the law will prevent the manu-
facture of whisky at the time it usual
ly starts on a large scale, the latter
part of September.
Stopping whisky manufacture, in
stead Of chrtailing the government
revenues, will increase them for the
next two years, officials believe
Coupled with the operation of The
pending revenue bill, the Withdrawal
OF whisky from the stock already ac
cumulated will probably treble thu
revenues within the next II months
as the present law imposes tax o
$1.10 and the revenue bill contem
plates as tax OF $500 a gallon. J
stock of approximately 230,000,000 ga
Ions has accumulated in the bonded
warehouses and on the shelves o
wholesale and retail liquor dealers
Approximately 190,OOO,OO0 gallons ar
in warehouses and upon that qunatit
the government will collect taxes a
II is withdrawn.
Few men will be thrown out o
work by the operation of the law. Di
tilleries now running will continu
TO produce alcohol for commercial
purposes with little change in thei
forces. Upon this class of alcohC
with the exception Of alcohol for Dc
naturization, the revenue bill woul
impose tax Of S2.2O, doubling tn
present income from this source.
There are approximately 700 disti
leries in the country, of which NOR
than half as small fruit brand
plants. The amount of capital inves
ed in the latter class is not great
the aggregate. The capital investe
In the big producing plants mount
high into the millions Officials her
believe that losses viii be more tha
wiped out by the greatly highC
prices dlstillers will obtain for the
product. already manufactured.
the opinion OF some officials whisb
will be selling at si5 a gallon With
t22 months, affording distillers emo
nous profits which will more tina
compensate for the loss Of capital 1
vested in plants.