The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-06-08
new LIQUOR QUESTION.
HOOVER OPPOSED TO PROPOSED
PLAN.
hut Food Administration Does Not
Want Nation on "Whisl<ey, Gin and
Brandy Basis"

ton opposition to any attempt to stop
the manufacture of beer and wine SO
long as the sale of whisl<ey is permit
ted, was made certain today with the
announcement that Food Administra-
tor Hoover opposed such step be-
cause he believed the evils attendant
upon putting the nation on a "whis-
key. brandy and gin" basis would Ia.
outweigh the small food savings that
would result
President Wilson already had stated
in letter to Senator Sheppard of
Texas. prohibition champion. that he
would not use his power to prohibit
the use of foodstuffs i'm beer and wine
unless Mr.. Hover regarded such
step as necessary.
After the opposition Of the presi-
dent and the food administrators had
been made known, Senator Sheppard
and other senator's said the senate
would strike from the $1,000, 900
emergency agricultural bill a house
amendment prohibiting the use Of
some $6.000,000 carried by the meas
ure unless manufacture Of wine and
beer was stopped by the president.
Senator Smith of South Carolina. OF
the agricultural committee. upon his
return to Washington tonight. said he
was inclined to oppose the amendment
because very small proportion Of
grain is being used in the production
OF alcoholic liquors since the distill-
ing of hiskey was stopped last Sep
tember. Senator Smith said efforts
would be made to have his committee
take up the bill without delay.
Mr.. Hoover explained his position
I'm a statement made public tonight
along with his letter to Senator Shep-
pard. He said that "if the American
people want prohibition II should bro
hibit by legislation to that end and
not force the food administration to
the responsibility for an orgy of
drunkenness"
"As to the discussion over the sup
preston Of brewing" said Mr. Hoov-
er's statement supplementing his let
ter to Senator Sheppard. ~ wish to
say emphatically that from a strictly
food conservation point of view l
should like to see the use of foodstuffs
suppressed in all drinks, hard and
soft.
This is not, however, the whole
story We stopped distilling year
ago. There is long supply of whis-
key. gin and other 90 per cent. to 40
per cent distilled drinks in the coun-
try. We have reduced the consump-
tion of foodstuffs in brewing by 80
per cent. and reduced the alchol con-
tent of beer to "a per cent
IF we stop brewing the saloons Of
the country will still be open, but
confined practically to q whskey and
gin basis. Any true advocate Of tenn
perance and of national efficiency i'm
these times will shrink from this sit
uation for the national danger in 1t
IL greater than the use of some ,OOO,-
900 bushels of grain monthly in the
breweries.
IF the American people want pro-
hibition 1t should prohibit by legis-
latioa to that end and not force
the food administration to the respon-
sibiilty for any orgy of drunkenness
"The food administration has gone
as far as II can toward temperance
without precipitating n worse situa-
zion. If the American people or con-
gress will stop the sale OF distilled
liquors the administration will find
no difficulty in stopping brewing"
In his letter to Senator Sheppard,
Mr.. Hoover said no effort had been
made to exercise the authority under
the food control act to prohibit the
manufacture OF wine because the
wines produced In this country are
from grapes of which a very small
proportion are available as table or
raisin grapes and therefore the stop
page of wine making would add no
consequential amount of food to our
national supplies
TROOP MOVEMENT IrNCUANCLn