The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1919-07-02
z 3-4 PER Cent beer
not YET UNDER BAN
Department of Justice Announces
Eleventh-HOur Development of
Wartime Prohibition.
MATTER UP TO CONGRESS
Indication of Hard Fight to Permit
President to Make Exception of
Light Wines and Beer.

"SH'iiB Ioii, June oc.--AS wartime
prohibition took effect tonight the De-
partment Of Justice announced that it's
agents throughout the country would
not attempt tomorrow to stop the sale
of two and three-quarter per cent beer
This eleventh hour development, a
flat reversal of an earlier ruling today
by the department, was due to the un
certainty as to no wthe Federal Dis
trict Court of New York might rule
on pending claim by brewers that
not Intoxicating.
But while this uncertainty existed
as to beer Of lighter alcoholic per-
centage than that sold generally here
tofore, full warning was given that
with respect to whiskey and all bever-
ages as to whose Intoxicating powers
there was no doubt, every government
agency would be set to work in a de-
termined effort to prevent their manu-
facture and sale.
Depends on Courts.
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 effectiveness of the war
time law.
Exactly what they have refused
heretofore to do, prohibition members
of the house now will attempt passage
OF straight, clear-cur bill for en-
forcement of wartime prohibition.
counted Noses.
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
gnttoithe front and demand separation
of the enforcement measures 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 order
10 put the bill through as an emerg-
ency 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 Represen-
tatlve lgoe, Democrat, Of Missouri
which would permit the President to
set aside in the wartime act in so
far as it relates to light wines and
beer.
Two Separate Views.
While the Attorney Generals staff
was wrestling with the question Of in
toxicating and Misunderstanding beer
the judiciary committee sent to the
House its report in which the bold as
sertion was made that anything over
one-half of one per cent alcohol was
Intoxicating within the purview Of the
general law, and that Congress and
not the court, should fix the alcoholic
percentage of all beverages, sales Of
which is restricted by prohibition stat
utes. But while the milder beer, like
some notable, was accorded unusual
honor by the joyful throng, a long
dry finger moved across the map to-
night at midnight an dblotted out Of
existence 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.
Like Poppies Spread"
in every city where the saloon
lights blazed for perhaps the last time
the merry making kept up until the
toliing 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 depart
ment called,attention to the fact that
the authorities in every city and State