The Mena weekly star., 1919-09-11
LEAVING LOOPHOLE
IN PROHIBITION
Sweet Cider, Elderberry and Grape
Wine May Be Made by Anybody,
but Must Remain the the
Home Cellar.

Washington, Sept. 6.--National
prohibition as construed by the SEN
ate in its enforcement bill contains
a loophole thru which the sun Of hope
sheds it effulgent rays across the arid
reaches of the United States.
Said loophole is the provision in
serted by the Senate permitting the
manufacture in homes for personal
and family use of elders and wines.
Sweet citder, elderberry and grape
wine and other misunderstanding bev-
erages of that sort may be made by
anybody. Then they may be set
aside and Nature invited to do her
best. In the fullness Of time fer
mentation will set in and kick will
develop, but the beverage will have
complied with the law and the owner
may use his own Judgment concern
ing it's consumption.
Within the Law, Yet Out.
Representative A.. ]. volstead,
chairman of the House committee on
Judiciary and author Of the prohobi-
tion bill, admits that the measure has
been hberalized in the Senate in this
respect and that is it now stands
there is no legal obstacle to the mani
ufacture for home consumption of a
beverage, non-alcoholic at the be-
ginning, but with vast possibilities,
calculated to meet every contingency.
Furthermore, Mr.. Volstead shows
no resentment at this liberalization
and no disposition to fight it in con-
ference From this it may be in
ferred that the amendment is likely
to stand. When the bill was before
the House committee he favored a
provision proposed by Representa-
tive Steele of Pennsylvania permit
ting the home manufacture of cider
and wines for personal and family
use.
Must Remain Private Stock"
Sweet cider, which eventually be-
comes hard, and wine which develops
"a liberal alcoholic content are en-
tirely legal under the Senate bill.
They do not come under the limita-
ton of alcoholic contents Of not more
than one-haIf Of one per cent, pre-
scribed for alcoholic beverages, even
after they have aged and reacher the
highest state of efficiency" They
cannot be transported in interstate
commerce after fermentation has set
in, but they are immune from federal
interference so long as they remain
in the cellar and are devotedly solely
to home consumption.
Aside from this provision the
House bill was not materially chang
ed in the Senate. The burden of
proof was placed upon the prosecu-
tion instead of upon the defendant in
liquor prosecutions and there We're
several changes in the text, but it is
the opinion of Chairman Valstead
that it will be entirely possible to
reach an agreement in the conference
Would FederaIize All Permits.
Mr.. Volstead will endeavor to have
the conferees agree upon system
of issuing permits under the bill
permits for manufacture, for trans
portation. for sale, etc.-which will
be placed exclusively under the fed
eral authorities.
II believe the federal government
should have sole control over per
mits," said he. HSome states now
provide that permits shall be issuet
by the state officials. while othei
states have no such laws. The bes
plan, in my judgment, would be 4
turn this all over to the federal gov
lernment, which would be more salts
factory and would make enforce
ment Of the law easier"