Evening journal., 1919-09-19
Will ASK j. S. TO
PAY FOR LIQUOR
Owners of72,500. 600 Gal
Ions of Distilled Spirits
TO Offer Bill
HOPE FOR CHANCE TO
SELL STOCK BY XMAS

WASHINGTON. Sept. is.-The Gov
ernment VIII be asked TO pay for the
100000 gallons OF distilled spirits
now in warehouses and i2,5oo,oo gal
Ions in stock in this country II war
time prohibition continues In eject
until January 4, when the Federal
Amendment becomes operative.
A bill 10 that end will be introduced
In Congress Immediately after II be-
comes evident the owners Of this
liquor VIII not have an opportunity to
dispose OF It.
on the 60OO0,O0O gallons in bonded
warehouses, all except about one-nfth
Is controlled'by persons who never en-
gsged in the distilling business, but
took up warehouse receipts. Approx
mately 100000 gallons OF IL Is actual
ly owned by those who made Il.
II is estimated that 100000 gallons
Of tax paid whisky were in the posses
sion OF dealers, principally retailers,
when the wartime act became effec-
tive. On September "a a floor tax Of
1920 a gallon Will be due on this H.
10000 gallons, making a total OF s40,-
OO0OO0. Treasury Department officlals
are worried over the situation in
which the holders Of this liquor find
themselves. The law prohibits It's sale
and the owners have no money TO pay
The tax.
Before any Of the 60.0oO.0o0 gallons
can be withdrawn from the ware
houses n must pay a tax OF s6.40 The
wartime act prohibits its removal ex-
cept for exportation.
l. - fe
lifted for al least two months. around
Christmas time. all OF the liquor held
in stock and half OF that In bond viii
be disposed or Distlllers claim the ex-
port demand Is not very great, as
France and other nations just out OF
the war prohibit the importation OF u.
Government officials would like TO do
something TO relieve the situation, for
they realize II is not the fault Of the
owners that they have on hand so
much OF their products.
Records in the ONCE OF the Bureau OF
Internal Revenue indicate that about
100000 gallons OF whisky Is used
annually for non-beverage and medicinal
purposes; it paid a tax OF approximate
ly s300O00O0 last year.
Commissioner OF Internal Revenue
Roper and his assistants, Mr.. Gaylord
and Dr. Adams. are preparing a sched-
ule for the enforcements Of the prohi-
bition laws. IL Is their purpose to-
encourage the manufacture OF alcohol
for industrial purposes. They hope In
This way TO enable distillers 10 con-
tinue IN business. 10 has been discov-
cred I'm the last few days by Mr.. Roper
and his lieutensnts that the pending
enforcement measure is full OF prob
lens TO be worked out by him.
70 is apparent 10 observers here that
Congress would Ike 10 make the coun-
try absolutely bonedry II possible. but
is afraid 10 prohibit the making OF
cider and wines (for personal use) on
the farm. Dry Congressman are de-
voting much time TO inquiring into
methods 10 take the 'pep" out OF cider.
senator Sterling has asked Deputy
Commissioner OF Internal Revenue /
GAYLORD Just what could be done along |
that line. lie said that when manu- /
featured and put into cold storage. |
sweet or unfermenied cider in course /
Of time develops alcohol in excess OF
one-half OF per cent.
"That may be because the cider
manufacturers have not done what the |
cereal beverage manufacturers nave
Gone-had chemists TO work on ths |
problem for a considerable time" re- /
Piled Mr.. Gaylord. chemists have |
developed ways TO dealcoholize the /
fermented product OF cereals and there |
is no reason why such a thing cannot
be done with cider. either TO develop /
fermentation and take the alcohol ous /
or TO arrest permanently the fermenta-
ton"
Information gathered by the officials
of the Bureau OF Internal Revenue
show that many brewers have changed
their brewerles into distllleries TO
make alcohol from near-beer. They
made a product that has alcohol above |
one-half Of per cent. Under the old
processes they used to waste that but
now they collect It and dispose OF II
as high-proof spirits.
An interesting fact that developed
during the last days OF the considers- !