The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-08-11
" Notwithstanding Cider" +"
and Drinks from Fruit
Juices Are Allowed
SENATE PROPOSAL
OF AMENDMENT
One-Half of One Per Cent Is
Still the Dead Line
in Alcohol


tion enforcement legislation advanced
another step in Congress to-day when
the Senate judiciary committee began
consideration of the bill passed by the
House last June as amended and liberal
lied by the judiciary sub committee.
Although the general House plan for
enforcement of wartime and constitu-
tional prohibition remains in the bill.
the subcommittee eliminated several
drastic House provisions and modified
others. In its work the sub committee,
comprising Senator's Sterling Republi
can, of North Dakota, chairman; Fall Of
New Mexico, and Norris of Nebraska,
Republicans, and 0verman of North Car
oliua, Walsh of Montana and King of
Utah, Democrats, first revised the Sen
ate enforcement bill and then ineorpor-
ated their amendments in the House bill
reporting the latter as amended by unan-
imous vote TO the full committee.
Like the Huse, the Senate sub.com-
mittee adopted the plan Of having sep
arste sections in the bill to deal with
wartime and constitutional prohibition
The subcommittee left unchanged the
House definition of intoxicating bever-
ages as those containing one-half of one
per cent or more of alcohol
As revised the bill will not interfere
with storage and personal use Of intoxi-
cants in the homes of individuals.
Probably the most liberal amendment
to the house bill is provision exempt.
ing from penalties any person "Wanu.
featuring on-intoxicating cider and fruit
juices exclusively for use in his house."
This would permit home manufacture
of light wines and cider for personal con
sumption and the amendment, except by
implication in connection with the def
milton of intoxicants, does not define
Notwithstanding" beverages.
Stricken from the House bill was the
provision making il unlawful for per.
sons to be intoxicated or TO drink liquor
on trains, street cars jitReys, boats or
other public convevances.
Another liberalization is a provision
that reports of manufacture, sales and
transportation of liquor, made to the in
ternal revenue collector, shall not be
but kept solely for scrutiny of the COM
missioner, his agents, court or other Off
GERS.
The House search warrant provision
also was made less drastic, the sub-com-
mittee amending the search and seizure
section so as to provide that search war
rants may be issued only under the usual
practice provided by existing federal law
and not on mere suspicion that liquor is
being stored for unlawful purposes.
Instead of the House bills unlimited
provision for funds to enforce prohibi.
tion, the subcommittee fixed $500 900
for the first years enforcement work
and leaves this duty jointly to the inter
nal commissioner and the department of
justice. The former is to report and the
latter to prosecute violations.
In defining intoxicating liquor the sub.
committee added the following liberaliz.
ing provisio:
Provided, however, that the foregoing
definition lone half of one per cent alco-
hol) shall not extend to alcoholized wine
nor to liquor nor liquid produced by the
process by which beer, ale or porter is
manufactured, but containing not more
than half of one per cent alcohol, if such
liquor or liquid shall be otherwise denom-
mated than as beer, ale, or porter"
"Drv Advocates Lose.
This provis& rejects the request of
prohibition advocates for prohibition Of
beverages which have the appearance of
intoxicants.
Another relaxation Of the House bill
was made in its provision for penalizing
persons having treason to believe" their
property is being used unlawfully. The
Senate amendment requires personal
knowledge" of such use.
The House provision declaring that
after Feb. |, 1920, the possession Of liq-
uor unauthorized by the law shall be
prima face evidence that it is being
kept for sale, is retained and strength
ened by an addition providing that in
proceedings under this section the burden
of proof shall be on defendants to prove
that such beverages do not contain more
than one-half of one per cent alcohol
The subcommittee revision retains the
following exemptions, as provided by the
House:
Denatured alcohol, medicinal prepara.
tion, patent medicines, toilet and medi-
cinal preparations, favoring extracts,
syrups, vinegar and fruit juices. The
subcommittee, however, struck out the
House clause that such articles should be
'non-potable," prescribing merely that
they shall be unfit for beverage pur-
poses"
A House clause requiring alcohol con-
tent of toilet, medicinal aond antiseptic
articles to be labeled was stricken out.
Retaining the House provision pro.
hibiting manufacture, sale, purchase.
transportation or prescription of intoxi-
cants without permit from the internal
revenue commissioner, the revised bill
contains a provision that such acts shall
be expressly authorized upon receipt of
permits, The House limit Of 10 days on