Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-18
PETERS WANTS HIS
POWERS EXTENDED
Prohibition Commissioner Files
Report of First Years
Operations.
RECOMMENDS LEGISLATION
Would Repeal One-Quart Clause,
Enlarge Powers of Magis-
trates and List Liquors.
RECOMMENDS LEGISLATION

IN addition 10 the results Of prohi-
bition. which the annual rcDort of ].
Sidrey Peters. the COMMISSIONS. Of
Prohibition for .hc State OF Virg;ni;.
indicates TO nc Of immcnve am. far
7cachin:s in thcir Significance and to
ha"e netted the state unexpected
Dement'S in the way OF conservation Of
money and man power, the report con-
taina recommendations from the com
! missioner 20 the General Assembly that
/ the quart month law be rcpealed
. making the state in reality as drv as
a desert bone: that ali ardent spirits
now in the possession Of tic courts
/ bo turned over 10 the Commissioner or
/ Prohibition. who shall he authorized to
/ extract from them tho alcohol for usc-
| III! purposes; that all persons who have
! more than ono quart which they
( bought before tho prohibition law be-
came effective shall file a sworn state
mcnt TO account for all the ardent
/ spirits in his possession. and that All
/ not so accounted for shall be regarded
AS cohtraband and seized by the com
/ missioner: that the same rule apply TO
StiiIs ana appurtcnances as to ardent
/ Splrlts' that the venue of local war
/ rants be extended over the whole of
I the state and he returnablc TO Justices
! OF the peace where the oftense occurs;
and. besides number Of others, that
/ the appropriation OF the state for the
! commission be increased from $4,000
! TO 100000.
I RECOMMENDS SEVERE
PENALTY FOR DRUNKENNESS
Mr.. Fcters also recommends THAI.
| drunkenness be severely pcnalizcd
: BESIDES this. he is of opinion tho vir-
! Einia oyster" navy used b. the De-
partmcnt Of Fish and Game should be
affiliated with the prohibition commits
sion TO prevent the illegal transporta-
ton of whisky into Virginia ports and
landings. This navy is at present In
the control Of the Federal government
and ono OF the needs OF the increased
appropriation is said in the report to
be for the provision of small boat
I for such coast duty till the release of
the oyster" navy is Effected.
! The recommendation OF the COM
missioner seeks. to have the authority
Of the Commissioner Of Prohibition cx-
/ tended over police boards, Mayors Of
cities. city and town Councils. city
managers. and all similar officials in
the enforcement Of the liquor law by
/ local police The report asks for this
! authority TO be expressed in unmis-
takably clear language a license tax
/ Of $500. subject to summary revocation
I by the commissioner is recommended
for all beverages manufactured in
other states and sold in Virginia: and
similar tax of 81 is recommended for
vendors of All soft drinks. patent medi-
c!nes and all navoring extracts. and
t the like.
/ SEEKS REPEAL OF
oNE-aUART CLAUSE
Mr.. Peters is seeking tho repeal OF
! the quart month law for the :ake
( or harmony with the Federal law, that
the Reed bone dry" measure NAV be
| entirely successful. II was through
/ fear of prosecution that the express
companies began requiring consiEnees
! OF ardent spirits to procure certificate
| from a doctor that the quart was for
, medicinal purposes. for il was mere
| matter of form with the consiEnees to
| sign the affidavits that it was for such
purposes. Now the commissioner fears
that the best legal talent OF the
breweries and express companies will
be directed towards making il pos
sible to secure the quart without the
medical certificate. which would de-
feat in measure the Reed amendment.
The recommendation for turning over
| I" the commissioner all the ardent
spirits in the possession of the courts
| will probably. ii it goes into effect.
result in the conversion of thousands
of gallons OF whisky 10 pure alcohol OF
less quantity for usage at the State
laboratories at the different educational
institutions and other places. And II
is hoped by the commission that the
more clearly expressed authority OF the
commissioner over the city officials
Will result in more satisfactory en-
forcement OF the prohibition laws and
consequently in the seizure of a greater
quantity OF contraband liquor
WANTS GREATER POWERS
TO COTE WITH SMUGGLERs
The purpose OF the Recommendation
for authorizing judges of Circuit
Courts and justices of the peace ,o
issue warrants for those violating tho
prohibition laws anywhere i'm tn. state
and returnable TO a justice OF the peace
whenever the culprit is taken in of
tense is TO aid the commissioner and
his assistants in coping with the great
array OF whisky smugglers who oper-
ate in automobiles. trains, boats, etc. to
cvade the "bonc-dry" amendment.
The report turned into the Governors
once yesterday was the first annual
report OF the commissioner. 1t was for
the fiscal year ending October 81, 1917.
The appropriation for the department
was 100000 to run the department for
sixteen months-that is, from November
!, 1916. TO March 1. 1917. This amount
the report declared to be evidently in
adequate. The General Assembly was
probably guided by the West Virginia
legislature. which appropriated to that
states department only $4,000.
In his report Mr.. Peters declared
That the paucity of the appropriation