Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-30
R-T|ME PROHIBITION
NOT BELIEVED PROBABLE
Likelihood Of Legislation to Stop
Use Of Grain in Manufacture
OF Liquor Grows Less.
DRASTIC ACTION NOT NEEDED
Government Would BE In Danger Of
Losing Great Deal OF Revenue, IL
Distilling and Brewing Industries
Were to BE SummariIy Closed Up.
DRASTIC ACTION NOT NEEDEI
I GSpeciai to The rimes-plspatch.l


WASHINGTON, April ca.-Likelihood
of legislation by Congress prohibiting
the use of grain in the manufacture
OF liquor was less to-day than il has
been at any time since. the agitation
FOR prohtbitory measures began. '1---
The feeling is becoming general that
drastic action in this direction has not
been shown to be necessary, and that
the government would be in danger
OF losing a great deal OF revenue. If
the distilline and brewing industry
would be summarily closed up.
No recomm endation so far has come
from any administration source for
food conservation by this means. 1t
Is not too late. of course. for the Presi-
dent or one OF his Cabinet officials to
propose wartime prohibition. and
such proposal may yet come. but It
is significant that other measures have
been recommended without any men
ton OF this.
Many leaders OF Congress. it might
he added. have not changed their
views. however upon this question
They take the position that prohibit
tion is as much a matter of national
efficiency as it is "A matter OF food
values. and even though the harvests
of the coming season do not make It
imperative that grain be withdrawn
for distillers and brewers. the general
welfare Of the nation requires 1t.
ISSUE REvERTs AGAIN
TO ORIGINAL PHASE
This. OF course, brings the issue
hack to its original phases; that is.
back to prohibition as a moral prob
lem. AS such. II may have safe ma
jorities in both houses of Congress-
without respect to the matter OF food
But how 10 bring II up and how to
leGislate upon II without making 1t a
war conversation measure is an un-
answered question.
One word from the administration
to the effect that crop and food con-
dtions demand prohibition would pass
the proposed bill with scarcely "a days
debate. That circumstance is known
TO everybody here. but the word has
not come and there are no certain
signs that it will come in the near
future.
Secretary of Agriculture Houston has
laid before the Senate Committee on
Agriculture a food conservation and
distribution program. Hts appearance
before that committee was highly ia
declared in favor Of prohibition. if
the administration had been ready to
proceed to that poiut. AS il was he
made no mention OF tho matter, leav-
ing the committee to assume that il
was not ripe for action.
So far tho administration has con-
trihuted nothing TO the liquor prohibi-
ton discussion except brief para
graph in the formal report of Score.
tary Houston. TO the Senate several
days ago. In this he said that some
Of the European nations have secured
a considerable addition to the food
supply either by reducing the pro-
duction Of malt liquors or by reducing
or prohibiting the production OF dis
titled liquors" lie thcreupon added
that lit has been roughly estimated
that the value OF food materials en-.
tcring into tho manufacture of alco-
holtc beverages in this country in one
year. on the basis OF prices lower than
those now prevailing, is approXtmateIv
$145.O0O. 000.''
NO RECOMMENDATION
MADE As TO COURSE:
No recommendation as to the course
this government should follow was
made. It is known however, that tho
statisticians OF the Department OF AZ.
ricuiturc arc still at work on exact
data as to the amount OF grain enter
ing into the manufacture OF Iiauor.
the amount that Is saved for other
uses after the distilling and brewing
Continued on Second PaFeD