The Washington times., 1917-07-25
BAN ON BEER
WOULDBO
BREAD PRICE,
SAY EXPERTS

The wartime prohibition Of beer
manufacture would Immediately re-
suit in a shortage of approximately
20 per cent in the yeast supply CT
this country and a material increase
In the price of bread"
This statement by Congressman
Nicholas Longworth of Ohio fur
nished a new angle today to the pro
hibition issue now to the forefront
in Congress. Mr.. Longworth DENT
onstrates by expert testimony that
beer-ma6ng is connected directly
with the manufacture Of yeast and
that, in turn, a shortage of yeast
means higher prices for bread. ,
The great bulk Of the yeast used
in this country, Mr.. Longworth says,
Is produced by the modern "aereated
process" and this process is depend
emit upon malt sprouts. With the
prohibition of the manufacture OF
beer, there will be no malt sprouts
the "aereated process" will pass, fac
tories will be dismantled, and there
will be q return to the more expensive
and once discarded methods Of yeast
digtillation.
Do Not Connect Questions.
Most folk do not connect the ques-
lions Of beer making and yeast pro-
duction- The matter has not been
presented in the debates on the food
control bill, and Mr.. Longworth said
today the public and Congress had
overlooked 30 important q thing as
the wartime prices for bread.
Representative Longworth Is Re
publican member OF the Committee IN
Ways and Means. But, aside from
questions of revenue, politics, and the
general campaign for prohibition, he
asserts, the prospective price o. bread
concerns every American home and is
now directly involved. That the food
bill should not go SO far as to prohibit
the manufacture OF light wines and
beers, with their comparatively light
percentages Of alcohol, he believes.
81 will endeavor to show the con-
nection between the making OF beer
and the price Of yeast and bread" ssid
Mr., LonEworth. "In the modern proc
ess Of yeast making. malt sprouts
are an absolute necessity and form
about q third of the contents of the
mash from which yeast is produced.
By the use of these sprouts a yield
Of yeast OF IS per cent is obtained.
Much Smaller Yield.
with other processes of manufac-
facture the yield is from II to is per
cent
Malt sprouts may be obtained only
from the mailing Of barley, and in
this country barley is matted only IN
the manufacture OF beer. According
", If there is prohibition against FUR
Their manufacture Of beer, there will
be no more malt sprouts, and the
manufacturers OF yeast Will abandon
the modern process of yeast manufac-
ture and return to the old and net
ncient methods.
IF the yeast makers shouli re-
model their factories and machinery,
or build new factories, there would
be a yeast shortage for a year or
more Of not less than 40 per cent,
and probably this shortage would ex-
ist for years.
The price Of bread In this cour-
Try, which is closely related TO the
supply and price of yeast, is a mat
ter of great Importance in this coun
try as we enter this war. 1t seems &c
me that Congress should take nc
of bread in these times.
Deems II Unnecessary.
~In addition, do not think II IL
necessary to prohibit beer-maklng
Beer IL comparatively innocuous, and
IL the poor mans drink" II would
be unwise In every way, in my opin-
ion, to enact legislation which would
stop the making OF beer, and the
reasons range from the effect OF
beer prohibition upon the price OF
bread, to the revenues needed by the
Government and the privilege OF the
citizen TO take his glass OF mild bev-
erage."
George B. Lester, vice president OF
the FIeishmann Company, the largest
yeast-producing company in the
United States, has supplied Mr.. Long.
worth with expert testimony regard
ing the shortage OF yeast which
would follow prohibition.
Mr.. Longworth says the Fleisch'
mann concern produces 90 per cent Of
the yeast used by bakers generally
and supplies a considerable percent.
age for home baking.
Representative Longworth adds that