The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-04-14

ment OF wartime pr0hlDltion which
becomes effective July /, Ia NOT
lodged with the internal revenue bu'
reau or with any other government
agency, but is merely left to United
States attorneys, Revenue Commits
sioner Daniel G. Roper declared to-
day after analysis of all statutes and
regulations.
Intimation that because of the ap
parent difficulty of enforcement, the
president of Congress might be called
on to postpone the laws operation
was given by Mr.. Roper in state
ment saying that "the issuing of Ii
censes by the manufacturer prohibit
ed by the wartime prohibition act
will naturally cease with July 1, as
Stunning, of course, that neither the
President nor the Congress stays the
operations of that law
In this connection 1t became known
today that number Of administra-
tion officials and advisers of the Pres
ident had recently urged him to pre-
vent prohibition from going into ef-
feet July by proclaiming the COM
pletion of rehabilitation by that time.
This view is understood to be held by
Commissioner Roper, who is repre-
scented as believing prohibition cannot
be enforced adequately without spe-
cific legislation establishing and en-
forcement agency.
After explaining in statement that
Congress had failed to pass bills au-
thorizing administration of the war
time prohibition provision of the agri-
cultural bill approved last November
Il, 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 en-
force 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"
Anomalous Condition
"An anomalous condition exists
brought about by the failure of Con
gress to enact at the last session the
necessary legislation to 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force until repealed by Congress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 the
internal revenue officers until re-
| pealed."
The commissioner also expressed
the view that the only authority Civ.
on the internal revenue bureau by
the wartime prohibition act related
regulating the manufacture and sale
of distilled spirits for other than bev-
erage purposes and the distribution
of wine for sacramental, medicinal or
other than beverage purposes.
This statement of Commissioner
Roper threw a new element Of uncer'
tainty into the status Of prohibition
between July and January 49, which
the prohibition constitutional amend
ment becomes effective. Some officials
/. said this uncertainty might be parti-
ally removed by enforcement lcgisla-
ton If special session of Congress
is called soon, although revenue bu-
reau officials doubt whether an ade-
quate force of agents could be whip
ped into shape between the passage
Of such legislation, and July l, even
If the legislation were sped through
Congress.
It now develops the revenue bureau
will be unable to assign all of its
5000 revenue agents to liquor work,
owing to the necessity of employing
/, most of these men on tax collection
business.
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 remained on statute books
regardless Of the advent Of prohibit
ton on July 1, will not constitute an
adequate policing of the country so
far as making prohibition of the man.
ufacture of LIQUOR absolutely effective