The Washington times., 1919-11-21
''WETS'' CASE
FOREST WITH
COURT TO-DAY

Hopes for q lifting Of the wartime
prohibition ban today centered on the
Supreme Court. which was hearing
arguments on several case involving
the Velstead law, before deeding
whether it is constitutional.
Liquor attorneys in their argu-
ments to tue court practically ad-
mittsd there Is no chance OF President
Wilson lifting the ban, and that .un-
less the tribunal kills the law, mil
lions Of dollars worth of liquor now
held in bond viii be rendered worth
less, entailing heavy financial losses.
Root Fights For Beer.
The, cases in which constitution
slity of the wartime act is attacked
viii all be in the courts hands by
this afternoon. Eliha Root. is sched-
uaed to make h5s main argument for
Ae. validity OF the sale OF ~2r76 per
cent beer He aSks that the Supreme
Court declare 0Hconstitutional- the
provisions Of thesxSastead enforcement
set which provide that during war
tne-.as well as during unconstitutional
prohibition. mantsf Actures or sale OF
any beve%sgss eeutxinfAx one-haif OF
I per cent or more OF alcohol is i'll
legal rsvssst -
Solicftof General King and Assist
ant Attorney General Frissson will
make brief replies, and the argu-
ments win be concluded
Hope for an early decision Is seen
IN the fact that the court will recess
next MondkY for two weeks, thus al
lowing more time for considering the
case than-f argumebes We're being
heard daily.
Unrest DeaHaads Action.
The courts must exercise their ju-
dicial power to prevent encroachments
on the rights of the people, Root de-
,clAred.. and st is for the courts to
act when Congress uses powers which
1t does not coostitutionally possess.
cHn view of the unrest and disturb
ancee among the people. it In now
Imperative that the courts protect the
rights of the people," Root declared.
= BY virtue of law, and rights guar
anteed under the law" commented
Root my clients made and sold the
AIS per cent beer. They have been
stopped from making this beer, and
from the sale of $1,000 900 worth of
IL on hand The law permits the sale
pf non-intoxicating beverages, and
7.75 per cent beer 10 not Intoxicating.
"A regulation by the President to con-
serve food stocks for. war use fixed
this 2.T5 per cent restriction. and here
you have law to enforce this re-
striction which says that over one
. half of per cent beer 10 intoxicating,
! when. as q matter ef fAct and admit
ted BY the Gevsrfment, it is net n
2 toxicating."
: william II. Guthrie. associated with
. Root. wzs 20 eiose the arguments in
behalf OF the brewers this afternoon.
Although there are pending in the
Z supreme Court half dozen other ap-
peals on liquor and beer decisions, the
! distfllers and brewers have submitted
: their cases to the arguments which
. were heard yesterday and today.
Rect Gets Mere Tiae.
When Elihu Root resumed his
: Argument in the Supreme Court this
morning, attacking the constitution
atty Of the volstead act enforcing the
! limitation~-of one-ha1f OF one-half al
coholic volume in beer, he asked an
: extra hour time In order more fully
: TO cover all phases OF the contest.
After some parley. Chief Justice
I White granted the request The crowd
70 hear Mr.. Root was somewhat
smaller than yesterday.
Mr. Root presented to the court the
Congressional reports on the vaissead
act from the House Judiciary Com