Evening star., 1917-09-09
MAY MAKE A FIGHT
FOR BONE DRY LAW
Anti-Saloon League Wants
Creed Amendment" Enforced
in the District.
APPEAL TO COURT LIKELY

With the closing of all licensed sa-
looms and liquor establishments In
Washington November l the Anti-Saloon
League may institute court proceedings
designed to bring the District of Column
bia within the operation of the Reed
bone dry" amendment to the post Of
flee appropriation act
While public opinion has taken Tor
granted that the bone dry legislation
does not affect the District, there are
officials of the league who hold diff
ferent opinion and. it was learned last
night. plans already are being considered
for testing their view of the matter. in
court.
Congress passed the Reed amendment
after it had legislated the District into
the dry column. This amendment pro-
hibits the shipment of liquors into states
and territories where the manufacture
and sale of liquors is prohibited
Attorney shoemaker's View.
In the opinion of Albert E. Shoemaker.
attorney for the Anti-Saloon League,
who has represented that body in all
hearings before the excise board in re-
cent years, the District is a territory
within the meaning of the Reed amend
ment. Mr.. Shoemaker said last night
that he believed a test case would result
in his view being upheld by a court Of
law.
The District prohibition law prohibits
the advertising of liquors in any way.
The post office appropriation act con-
tains provision prohibiting the use of
the mails in advertising or soliciting
orders for liquors in states and terri
tories where the advertising of liquors
is prohibited.
Here again is presented the question
of whether the post office appropriation
act provision applies to the District of
Columbia, and. in the opinion of Mr.
Shoemaker, it does.
Quotes Department of Justice.
Mr.. Shoemaker also called attention to
the fact that the Department of Justice
has held that the transportation Of
liquors into a prohibition state or terri
tory by any means whatever is prohib
tied under the Reed bone dry amend
ment. In other words, a person enter
ing a prohibition state or territory
with liquor concealed in his clothing
would be violating the Law the same as
an interstate carrier that accepted
liquor shipments and transported them
into prohibited territory.
Whatever may be the outcome of
the fight to have the District declared
bone dry" territory. the Anti-Saloon
League, according to Mr.. Shoemaker, is
going to be very much on the job after
November l. to see that the prohibition
law here is strictly lived up to.
People Strong for Law.
We expect the law to be well en-
forced from the start" said Mr.. Shoe
maker. THE sentiment of the people is
strong for the law. and it is sentiment
that is growing. There will be no in
crease of "speakeasies' over the Num-
ber at the present time: Under the law
the authorities are provided with ample
law-enforcing machinery. search and
seizure and other up-to-date methods
being provided.
Much will depend on the police who
will be detailed specially to detect
violations of the law 1t is expected
that they will be men fully qualified
for the work. and the Anti-Saloon
League can be counted upon to give
them every assistance possible"