The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-07-03
BEER NOT YET
PUT UNDER BAN
WHISMEY AND HARD STUFF
GOES UOT WITH BIG CELE-
BRATION IN WET CITIES

GOES UOl Will Dlu SCLE-
BRATION IN WET CITIES
Washington, June 30.-As war
time prohibition took effect tonight
the Department of Justice announced
that its agents throughout the couNn
try would not attempt tomorrow to
stop the sale of two and three-quart-
er per cent beer.
This eleventh hour development, a
flat reversal of an earlier ruling to-
day by the department, was due to
the uncertainty as to how the FEEDER
al District Court of New York might
rule on a pending claim by brewers
that beer containing that much alco-
hol was not intoxicating.
But while this uncertainty existed
centage than sold generally hereto
fore, full warning was given that
with respect to whiskey and all be-
verage as to whose intoxicating
powers there was no doubt, every
government agency would be set to
work in a determined effort to pre-
vent their manufacture and sale.
How long the sales of two and
three-quarter per cent beer might
continue would depend ordinarily on
the speed of the courts, but Congress
meanwhile will step to the front in
an effort to complete the effective
ness of the wartime law.
Exactly what they have refused
heretofore to do, prohibition MEM
bers of the house now will attempt
passage of a straight, clear-cut bill
for enforcement of wartime prohi-
bition.
When word spread tonight that
the Attorney General by his ruling
had permitted beer saloons and
breweries to remain in operation,
members of the judiciary committee
counted noses to find sufficient
number ready to 60 to the front and
demand separation of the enforce
ment measure so as to get through
at once a bill that would stop the
sale of all beer containing more than
one-half of one per cent alcohol.
Congressional leaders, it was said,
refused to abandon plans for a recess
beginning probably tomorrow in or
der toput the bill through as an
emergency measure, and the whole
question of prohibition will be held
up until next Monday at the earliest.
There were indications tonight that
a hard fight would be made in behalf
of an amendment to be offered by
Representative, Ilgoe, Democrat OF
Missouri, which would permit The
President to setaside in the wartime
act in so far as it relates to light
wines and beer.
While the Attorney Generals staff
was wrestling with the question OF
Intoxicating and unintoXicating beer
the judiciary cor:naittee sent to the
House its report in which the bold
assertion was made that anything
over one-half of one per cent alcohol
was intoxicatir within the puryiew
of the general law,and that Con-
press and not the court, should fix
the alcoholic percentage of all bever-
ages, sales of which is restricted 6y
prohibition statutes. But while the
milder beer, like some notable, was
accorded unusual honor by the JOY.
full throng, long dry finger moved
across the map Monday night at
midnight and blotted out Of existence
a mans legal right to buy or sell
LIQUOR. Sale of these intoxicants
again will be legal with demobiliza-
tion of the army, date of which will
be determined by the President and
until January 16, 1920, at which
time it will be prohibited for many
day by constitutional amendment.
In every city where the saloon
lights blazed for perhaps the last
time the merry making kept up until
the tolling of the midnight hour,
when the bells sounded the closing
warning at Boston the folk at San
Francisco still had three hours to
drink. :.
Attorney General Palmer in his
statement to the policy of the de-
partment called attention to the fact
that the authorities in every city and
State had been requested to give the
utmost cooperation in the matter OF
enforcing all undisputed provisions
of the wartime law. The temporary
refusal not to proceed against those
selling two and three-quarter per
cent beer, although evidence against
them will be obtained with a view to
the prosecution in the event the court
decided against the brewers-does
not mean that persons offering it for
sale in territory heretofore dry will
be exempt from arrest and prosecu-
ton.
Saloons selling two and 8 Ia per
cent beer will take gamblers
chance and stay open at their own
risk it was emphasized.
The bureau Of the Internal Reve-
nue., upon the bulky shoulders of
which will fall much of the. great
task of breaking up the liquor SELL
ing, Monday issued regulations gov
erning the sale Of alcohol for medic
inal purposes. Those regulations are
so strict that it will be next to i'm
possible, bureau agents said, for a
1lIo,- .,,L fa,