Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-07-01

Washington, July 1.-The whole nation
awoke today to a realization Of prQhi-
bition. The banishment of the "eye
opener" at the bar. long ago forgotten
in many parts Of the country, was all
embracing. Only those who had been
provident enough to 'stock up in ad-
vance for the long drouth or who could
find solace in new 2x per cent brew
were able to carry out the time honor
ed custom Of the day with an early
morning "bracer."
War time prohibition banning for the
time all distilled liquor and leaving in
a cloud Of doubt the future Of beer was
effective at midnight. Exemption OF
beer from the list of forbidden bever-
ages came as q result of an eleventh
hour announcement by the department
Of Justice that pending decisions in
present litigation to determine whether
q brew containing 2 y per cent Of aico-
mol is intoxicating. action a0nids be
taken toward stoppage Of sale Of beer
containing no more than that amount
of alcohol.
Thus, pending court decisions or ac-
ton by congress defining Intoxicating
beverages. sale of the later drink In
cities in which there are no regularity
laws will be permitted until Jan. 16,
when constitutional prohibition be-
comes effective. Other than this the
only way Of comfort left the anti-pro-
hibitionist Is the coming Of the time
when President Wilson will declare de-
mobilization Of the army, which auto
matically would suspend operations Of
the wartime act until Jan. 16.
Congress May Act.
When the attitude Of department Of
justice officials toward beer became
known last night some of the prohibi-
tion advocates in congress were in ia
vor Of adopting the plan to adjourn
until July in order to determine what
beverages were intoxicating and pro-
viding. for enforcement Of the dry law
might be rushed thru. However, lead
ers refused to accept the proposal and
the question, at it's earliest, can not
be considered until next week. Even
Z then stiff fight is promised and an
effort will be made to permit the presi-
dent to set aside the wartime acts in
sofar as It relates to light wines and
beer. <.
The action Of the department Of jus
tice last night in announcing there
would he no interference with the sale
of ~ per cent beer was reversal of a
stand taken in a statement issued pre-
viously in the day for which there was
no explanation. e.
Most Nav York Saloons Closed.
New York. July 1-Open> bars where
beverages of 2.75 per cent alcoholic
contents could be purchased by the
drink offered the only consolation OBJ
tainable in New York today to the
friends of liquor on the first day of
war time prohibition.
Thruout the city the last few hours
Of unrestricted sale Of all beverages
were ushered out with much hilarity
and with considerable drinking.
What little hope the distillersS brew
ers, saloon keepers and liquor dealers
may have had up to last night that
something would happen to postpone
Z further the advancement of the great
dry spell" disappeared when they an
alyzed the opinion Of Attorney General
Palmer. Hundreds Of saloons keepers
decided to quit business and those that
+ remain open will offer nothing contain
ing more than 2.75 per cent alcohol
The question of selling light wines,
as we'll as war beer" has been left to
the judgment Of the hotel men and
restaurants by lawyers. Some restaur-
ant keepers and hotel men expect to
sell light wines with meals until the
policy Of the government toward such
drinking has been clearly decided