The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-04-19
BREWE Rs MAKE
MOVE To TEST
NEAR BEER LAW
Start Distribution Of 2M Per
Cent. Beer
DEFY REVENUE OFFICERS
1t Is Expected Tha. Internal Revenue
Collector viii Take Action to
Bring About Ruling
DEFY REVENUE OFFICERS

New York, April 1S,-Determina.
tion by the courts whether beer OF
. 3-4 per cent. alcoholic content may
be produced without violating the
food conservation regulations will be
speeded up by the action that is being
taken by the brewers OF New York
Two brewers have begun distribution
Of beer in barrels, specifying the al.
coholic strength on the labels and
describing it as Notwithstanding
beverage The barrels are sent ont
without revenue stamps, but they
carry tags announcing that sums
equivalent to the cost of the stamps
have been deposited in banks to
await the claim of the government.
Attorneys for the brewers who ad-
vised their action, declared that other
manufacturers, in New York and else
where throughout the country, also
would begin distributing.
The beer shipped here, from the
Hoffman, and Gambrinus breweries
| had been manufactured since Decem-
! ber /, when by Presidential proclama-
ton use Of grains for brewing was
prohibited, to be modified early this
year by permission to make non-in-
toxicating, or near bear which the
revenue department classified as
containing less than one-half Of one
per cent. alcoholic content
It was expected that the brewers
action would precipitate a move by
the federal authorities intended tC
stop the sale of unstamped beer, thus
. bringing into the criminal courts The
manufacturers contention. already
raised in civil suits, that the 2 3l
per cent. brew, being without ,ht
scope OF the food conservation an.
prohibition sta ltes forbidding prodn'
ton OF intoxicants, could be mann
factured and sold, now and in the fu
ture under either the wartime O
permanent prohibition status, in com
pliance with the law.
; The Hoffman breweries notifel
. the internal revenue collector earl
I this week of their intention to resum
distribution Of the "a per cent
; product This was the standard dun
ing the greater part Of Americas pa,
ticipation in the war, under the foo
; regulations. When application TO
revenue stamps was denied the bre,
ers announced their intention OF ter
dering payment to the authoritiel
When this was refused it was decit
ed by the Hoffman and also the Gan
: briuus concerns to deliver goods wit
out stamps, and special labels PFC
, pared on order of counsel for III
Z brewers of the country, were attache
to the barrels. The labels containe
: the following legend,
Misunderstanding beer c0ntainin
not to exceed S4 per cent. of ale,
hol by weight
The internal revenue tax impose
by Section COS Of the act of Congress
Of February "a, 1919, Of So for ever
barrel containing not more than 3
gallons, has been duly rendered {
the collector Of internal revenue fo
the district of - and upon his r.
p fusal to receive the tax and issue th
customary stamps. the full amount {
the tax was deposited to his cred
!, with --- bank, thus keeping the ten
] der good If any attempt be made I
seize the beer, telephone or telegrap
at once to undersigned.
The name of the brewer follows.