New-York tribune., 1919-06-29
Gables to Tumulty His
Power Is Restricted I'm
til He Can Declare De-
mobilization Complete
Wil1 Act as Soon
As Army Disbands
Drys May Forestall This
by Pushing Randall
Amendment to Passage

WASHINGTON, june 28.-President
Wilson viii not act to remove war
time restrictions on the sale and manu-
facture of wines and beer scheduled
to go into effect Monday at midnight
In a cablegram made public by Secre-
tary Tumulty at the White Ho1so to-
night, the President said he vas with
out power to remove the restrictions
until rehabilitation has in fact te,7ni-
mated.
When rehabilitation is complete,
however, he made it clear that mis-
power to act, without additional Con-
gressional authority, will be exercised:
accepts PaYmer's Ruling
The Presidents cablegranl, filed
shortly before lie embarked on his
return trip to the United States fol-
lows:
II am convinced that the Attorney
General is RICH. in advising mo that 1
have no legal power at this time in
the matter Of the ban on liquor Un-
der the act Of November, 1913 my pow
er to take action is restricted. The
act provides that after June 80, 1919
until the conclusion Of the present war
and thereafter until the termination
ef rehabilitation, the date Of which
shall be determined and proclaimed BY
the President, it shall be unlawful, etc.
~Thia law 1ooc ~ ~-~osk,. Y
ban shall be lifted with the signing Of
peace, but with the termination of the
rehabilitation of the troops, and !
cannot say that that has been accom-
plished- My information from the
War Department is that there are still
emergency call
at is clear, therefore, that the fail
ure Of Congress to &C. upon the sux-
gestion contained In my message Of
May 20, 1919, asking for repeal of the
act Of November 81, 1918, so far as it
applies to wines and beers, makes 1t
impossible to act in this matter at this
time. When rehabilitation is termi-
mated, my power to act without Con-
4ressional action will be exercised"
Drys Are Satisfied
Congressional drys said tonight
the President could have taken no other
course. The Presidents decision came
as no surprise. The vets, whose
hope that the President would act be-
fore July ! had been visibly dwindling
during the last ten days, took a sim
liar view.
Senator Norris, Of Nebraska, oues
toned the Presidents right to act,
even when demobilization is, in fact.
terminated, unless the peace treaty
has been ratified by Germany and by
the Senate before that time.
ut makes no difference what the
President says he will do" he said,
~he cannot legally remove restrictions
On intoxicating liquors until the peace
has been ratified. What he attempts
TO do, but has no authority for doing,
will be without effect"
Ends Drys' Apprehension
There was no Disgusting the fact,
however. that the drys were relieved
ihey were visibly alarmed late this af-
aIernoon when notice was given that an
important announcement" was TO be
made at the White House tonight.
Wets were convinced that their predic-
tions that the President would declare
generalization terminated INN cdiately
siscr the signing Of the peace treaty
were TO be carried out.
4. Aitaouzh disappointed, anti-prohibi-
tioniSts IN Congress Indicated that they
peneVed wartime prohibition will be
declared unconstitutional by the courts
shgrt'y after 1t goes into effect
DYE accepted the Presidents state
ment that he would act az soon as he
aad asd power to do 10 as q warning that
me Randall amendment to the prohi-
Dition enforcement bill must be adopt-
ca. the gap between wartime and
SSonstltutionai prohibition is TO be
DtidEsd successfully." This amendment
would In effect move constitutional pro
!nip'tion forward TO the date upon which
Ing enforcement legislation IL ap-
proved by the President.
lns majority report on the enforce
ment n'ii VIII be presented in the SEN
- ~ Eaairman Voistead OF .hs Ju-
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