The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-30
Look to Department of
Justice to Carry Out Its
Provisions.
QUESTION OF ARMY
Vets Contend that Both
War Measure and the
Amendment are Uncon-
stitutional.

Washington, June 29.-Dr. Edwin
c. Dinwiddie. legislative superin-
tendent Of the National Anti-Saloon
league. declared today that the dry
forces look to the department OF
justice to carry out the enforce
ment of the war prohibition act
which goes into effect July l. Dr.
Dinwtddie intimated that II viola
tons of the act occur In cities
where threats have been made to
ignore il as regards beer and light
wines that action VIII be taken by
the prohibitionists to see that the
law Is. obeyed
President Wilson's cable from Parss
that he cannot declare the army de.
mobilixed until rehabilitation is an &C
tua fact settled decisively the hope.
OF the vets that the ban on liquor
v ould be lifted before July /. The in
tarest Of the "wets' is now coneen'
trated on the answer to the question
Of how soon rehabilitation can b.
made an accomplished fact by the wal
department.
In referring TO the million smer.
gency men" whom President Wilson
said would have to be demobilized be.
fore he could issue his proclamation
setting aside the wartime prohibition
s,ct IL is assumed that the president had
in mind the latest official figures Of
army strength made up by the war de-
p&rtment
The war department gives the total
strength OF the army on June -, Al
1.o4i.4s7, which includes 73.13l officers
and sSs,3s3 men. While this total
makes the million man" to which the
president referred In his eAhlegram II
is not taken to mean that all OF ths
army forces 20 comprised will have tc
te demobiiizsd before the president car
lift the ban imposed by the war prohi-
bition act.
The number Of weeks which II will
take before the army can b declared
heY u men which congress deciAei
shan compose the stAnding Army q
the United states. II has been argued
that the total should be $4,000 men
but 4 maximum OF 500. 900 has been pro-
posed ana II the larger figure IL deter
mined upon tho point whore demobiii.
cation can be declared can be reached
much sooner Tho number $4,000 now
appears in the conference report or
the new army bill.
Efforts Of the drys to bring about .
rigid enforcement Of the war prohibit.
ton act as re CARDS beer and light wines
despite the fact that disqualification vii
eventually annul the act are expected
to result in test cases.
The vets contend that tho war pro-
hibiticn act will not stand legal test
and they hold that the same applies te
the constitutional amendment. They
say IL vfclators OF the war prohibition
act are arrested for selling beer with
2 per cent alcohol they will be able It
maintain successfully not only thai
congress has no authority to determine
how much alcohol is required to make
a beverage intoxicating. but Also that
beer with only per cent OF alcohol
il not Intoxicating.
Or. Dinwiddie said today: II the
liquor men violate the war prohibition
act they do so At their peril. Tho
liquor men can be counted on to do the
rong thing At the right time and II
they proceed to violate the act after
July l., they will only stiNen congress
In framing the prohibition code. The
Anti Saloon league will keen close
watch on the workings Of the war pro-
hibition act"