Evening star., 1919-04-13
President Asked to Postpone
Its Operation by Proclaim
ing DemobiIization.
DUTY OF ENFORCEMENT
WITH U. S. ATTORNEYS
Revenue Bureau Given No Author
ity Under Act-Plea for Re-
moval of Beer Ban.

Enforcement OF wartime prohib-
ton. effective July 1. may be post
poned.
Government offlcials have appealed
to the President, urging that he pre-
vent the law from going into effect
by declaring the completion of de-
mobilization by that date. Adminis-
tration leaders. including Daniel c.
revenue, contend that there Is no
machinery in the government charged
with the enforcement of wartime
prohibition.
This is not a duty of the internal
revenue bureau nor any other
federal agency. Mr.. Roper says. and
the matter is merely left to the United
States attorneys. This opinion was given
after he had analyzed all the statutes
and regulations.
Intimation that because of the ap-
parent difficulty of enforcement, the
President or Congress might be called
on to postpone the laws operation.
was given by Mr.. Roper in a state
ment saying that ''the issuing of
licenses for manufacturers prohibit
ed by the wartime prohibition act,
will naturally cease with July /. as
suming, of course. that neither the
President nor the Congress stays the
operation of that law"
Suggestions by Officials.
that a number of administration on
cials and advisers of the President
had recently urged him to prevent
prohibition from going into effect
July 1. as stated. by proclaiming the
completion of rehabilitation by that
time. This view is understood to
be held by Commissioner Roper. who
is represented as believing prohibi-
ton cannot be enforced adequately
without specific legislation establish
ing an enforcement agency.
After explaining in a statementthat
Congress had failed to pass bilfB2au- :
thorizing administration of the war
time prohibition provision of the ag-
ricultural bill approved last Novem-
ber 21, Mr.. Roper said:
Enforcement of the prohibition
contained in the act, therefore, is not
placed with the commissioner Of in
ternal revenue or lodged anywhere
in the government, but is naturally
left to the United States attorneys to
enforce by prosecution under the sec
ton of the act which provides that
any person who violates any Of the
foregoing provisions shall be pun
ished by Imprisonment not to exceed
one year, or by fine not to exceed
$1,000, or both such Imprisonment and
fine.'
Conditions Rated Anomalous.
IAN anomalous condition exists
brought about by the failure of Con-
gress to enact at the last session the
necessary legislation and provide the
necessary money for the enforcement
of wartime prohibition.
Existing revenue laws with regard
to the control of illicit manufacture
and sale will, of course. remain in
force until repealed by Congress
Their enforcement will continue TO be
given the vigorous attention OF an
ternal revenue officers until repealed
The commissioner also expressed
the view that the only authority
given the internal revenue bureau
by the wartime prohibition act re-
lated to regulating the manufacture
and sale of distilled spirits for other
than beverage purposes. and the dis
tribution Of wine for sacramentai.{
medicinal or other than beverage;
purposes.
This statement of Commissioner
Roper threw a new element OF un-
into the status OF prohio'-
ton between July 1 and January 10.
when the prohibition constitutional
amendment becomes effective. Some
officials said this uncertainty might
be partially removed by enforcement
legislation, il a special session or
Congress is called soon, although rev.
enue bureau officials doubt whether
an ADEQUATE force of agents could be
whipped into shape between the pas
sage Of such legislation, even IL it were
speeded through Congress, and July i.
1t now develops that the revenue
bureau will be unable to assign all
Of it's 5000 revenue agents TO liquor
work. owing to the necessity OF en-
blowing most of these men on tax
collection business. Reports that 5000
agents would be assigned to prohibi-
ton enforcement work after July i
now appear erroneous in the light OF
the revenue commissioners decision
hat he has not authority nor appro-
priations necessary to carry out the
task, -
Commissioner Roper and Secretary
Glass have always been opposed to
lodging in the bureau the function
of enforcing prohibition measures.
and have suggested that the Depart
ment of Justice is the proper agency
for this work.
The enforcement of revenue meas
ures which remain on statute books,
regardless of the advent of prohibi-
lion on July 1. will not constitute
an adequate policing of the country.
SO far as making prohibition OF the
of liquor sbsolutcIy -.