The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1917-08-31
All Operations in Connection with Dsthng Alcohol for
Beverages Must Cease at Time Set by Hoover
MANY DlSTILLERIES WILL CLOSE
Opinions Differ on Prospect of Whisky Manufacture Being Resumed
After War
BIG PEORIA DISTILLERY To QUIT

easiest and quickest way ~
All other disillcries here are maxi
ing arrangements to close Sept 8.
Business as Usual
Outside of Peoria the industrial
situation will not be affected seriously
by the closing of the distillerios. The
distil,ing business employs fewer men
in proportion to capital invested and
market value OF the product than any
other industry. Therefore, after the
short time required for readjustmcnt
Peoria will be greatly benefited indus
trially by the forced changes in the
distilling business.
Little Newspaper Comment
1t is significant that the newspapers
of Illinois are making very little com
mcnt on the approaching end Of
whisky manufacturing. What li6ie
reference is made to the subject IS
concerned with the question 7f
whether the business will be pc.
manently discontinued Edtoria,
opinion seems almost unanimous in
predicting that September 8, 19l7,
marks the death of whisky making in
America
The Sterling Gazette, speaking of
the public sentiment which led to the
doom Of whisky, says.
1T indicates that our Congressman
are beginning TO understand that the
overwhelming sentiment for local OPP
tion so apparent all over the country
is being firmly set in the direction of
national Prohibition and the Con-
gresham or Senator who fails to
measure. -up To. that sentiment : who
prefers to serve king alcohol instead
of the plain folks who live back home
is preparing for himself lifelong job
as a retired statesman among the
folks back home who will have little
respect for him when he returns.
"Whilc the practical results have
not been great in the matter of inter-
fering to any great extent with the
money making OF the distilcrs, the
gain in public sentiment means that
in the end in due time there will come
an order from Congress that the dis
tilleries must close not merely for the
period of the war, but for all time.
We are on the way and there is no
stopping the procession"
Better Change Machinery
The Frceport Bulletin suggests that
it would be wise for the distillers to
change their manufacturing machinery
instead of depending on change in
public sentiment on Prohibition. 1t
says:
"They (the dstillcrs) are figuring
that the ban on whisky is only pass
ing whm. Soon. they think, the pub
lie will miss the old whisky revenues
and repent its remuneration of them.
Moreover, when the present supply of
whisky is used up, they believe the
people will want more. Tie supply
will only last Il year or two, even il it
isn't commandeercd for war purposes.
Then the distillers expect to open up
again as usual.
Maybe they're right-bnt probably
not. Having once got used TO using
our grain for food instead of alcoholic
drink, it isn't likely that We'll return
TO the old, wastefnl system. The dis
tillefs had better figure or some other
line of business"
The St. Charles Chronicle, after
calling attention 20 the fac. that the
Food Law does not stop the sale of
whisky, states: "I. is our belief that
the manufacture of whisky for bev-
erage will never be resumed in this
country"