The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1919-11-07
NATIONS DRYLAW
NOW IN EFFECT
Str;Ct Enforcement Ordered, But
WetSpeII May Follow Peace
Treaty Ratification.
ROPER ASKS CITIZENS AID
Internal Revenue Commissioner and
Attorney General Issue Orders IN
Washington-says Non-Effeetive
Enforcement Would Discredlt.

ashinoton.-The next battle over
nrohibitiOn comes in the courts. Inc
senate having passed the enforcement
bill over the presidents veto, follow
ing the lead of the house, the bureau
of internal revenue and the attorney
general have in motion all the avail
able agencies to enforce the measure.
Outside of possible relief IN the
courts. the only hope of the vets
was in assurance from o1hclalS OIL Ille
White House that the president Will
nroclaim the end of the war ana the
completion of rehabilitation as soon
as it is legally possible. rms auto
matically would end the new one
half per cent law.
With the official end Of the war;
the country will be wet until january
16. The most enthusiastic pfohlDl-
tionists admit that if war is deciar-
ed officially ended before that date'
nothing can prevent this. They say
thev will not try. There has been talk
an effort would be made to delay
final action on the peace treaty III
order to keep down the liquor tralhc
pending the date the CONSTITUTIONAL
amendment goes into effect, but pro-
hibition leaders, both in and out OF
congress, deny any such plan. Ihev
declare they will not try to head OH
the wet spell if one should be possible
before January 16.
Counsel for the vets, with Ken
lucky injunction against the conhsca-
ton of their property, are awaiting
decision of the United States supreme
court, and have furthermore ADVISED
their clients that the presidents veto
in specifically announcing demOblllZa-
ton of the army automatically ended
wartime prohibition in their opinion
and justified them in resumlng the
traffic.
Before the senate vote was taken
announcement was made from the
White House that the wartime ban on
liouor, which is embraced in part of
the act passed by congress, would be
lifted the moment the senate formally
ratified the treaty with Germany.
The result of the senate's action is
that the sale of beverages containing
more than one-half of one per cent OF
alcohol is a crime and that the nation
will be "bone dry" until the ratlhca-
ton of the treaty with Germany.
The White House announcement
sets at rest rumors spread by the
"drvs" that the ban would be pro-
longed until the treaty with Austria
had been ratified.
Daniel C. Roper, commissioner of
internal revenue, who is charged with
the enforcement of the prohibition
law, has announced his plans for put
ting nationwide prohibition into eff
feet
While the act makes the bureau of
internal revenue the directing agency
in the enforcement of prohibition re-
sponsibility for enforcement is also
distributed among federal, state, coun-
ty and municipal officers, every one
of whom Mr.. Roper said, is expected
to do his full part.
Successful enforcement of the new
law. the commissioner declared, will
be measured largely by the manner
in which other than federal agencies
perform their duties. In local COM
munities local officers are expected to
take the initiative.
Pending the organization of an inde-
pendent force, employees of the in
ternal revenue service qualified for the
work and who can be spared from tax
work have been directed to cooperate
to the fullest possible extent with
the public and with state, county, and
municipal officers and with officers of
the department of justice II the en-
forcement of the act.
A suit to test the constitutionality
of the war time prohibition enforce
ment law has been started in New
York.