The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-25
VETS PIN HOPES
ON THE PRESIDENT


OVbStHuS6 JTOW FtTSG rugs
mobilization as having progressed to
point where It was safe to remove the
restrictions from light wines and BEERS
but the President made It clear that he
did not regard rehabilitation as suffi-
GENTLY complete to enable him to act
independently OF Congress.
Where Decentralization stands.
There has admittedly been great
progress In rehabilitation since the
Presidents message. This makes 1t
possible that the President may now be
advised that he has the authority to
act anyway as soon as rehabilitation
Is practically completed the Presidents
authority will be without question. Es-
Inmates are that this situation will ar
rive by August or September at the
latest, 1t would mean then reopening
OF suppliessto the public for a three to
-FOUR months period Reports received
mere show that hundreds of Thousands
OF dollars worth of wines and beers are
being held in large cities. notably New
YORK to take caro- Of public demands
between the early fall and the first of
next year.
AS the question of rehabilitation is
the essence OF the case SO far as the
PRESIDENTS authority Is concerned there
interest here In the last War De-
partment date on rehabilitation. The
latest statement issued follows:
The estimated strength of the army
as OF June II was l,l32,T43, not includ.
ing marines attached to the A. E. F.. OF
these bb2.62o were in Europe. 1850 on
the sea en- route to or from Europe and
4lO.256 In the United States"
Most units of the Sixth and Seventh
regular divisions have now embarked.
Only five divisions remain in the A. E. f.,
none OF which are assigned to convoy.
The following figures include army
onlcers and mon, army field clerks and
nurses. but not 16.645 marines attached
to the Expediuonary Force:
Europe, 652.620: Siberia, $500; at
sea en- route to Europe. 2.12s; Mt sea en-
route to the United States, 12S,422;
United States. +io.4SS; insular posses
sions. so.S5S."
The question is when will the legal
advisers Of the President declare that
rehabilitation has reached a stage
where he can act The i've divisions to
remain as Americas contribution to the
army OF occupation, the troops in ST.
IBERIA and in insular possessions are all
out OF calculations because they are not
going to be demobilized for some time.
In other words. Rehabilitation will be
regarded as complete irrespective OF
these troops.
There remain. therefore. about 500 900
troops In the United States to be par
TALLY demobilized. and rehabilitation is
proceeding as record breaking pace.
Prohibition Issue Not at stake.
President Wilson's position is that the
Jones amendment to the food bill was
advanced AL
measure for the conservation OF food
products he prohibition issue Is not
regarded at stake because prohibition
goes into effect anyway next January
The drastic provision in the Volstead
prohibition enforcement bill was stricken
from the bill by the House Judiciary
Committee to-day. The requirement
that liquor retained in the home of the
possessor and obtained prior to the date
effective must be reported also was
changed. 1t Is the expectation OF the.
committee that consideration and report
on the Volstead bill will be completed
before the House meets on Thursday.
Efforts of the "wets" to place the
burden Of proof OF Illegal manufacture
and possession specifically upon the
Government were successful only to the
extent OF q compromise by which the
possessor Of liquor after the law goes
into effect will not be required to report
In advance such possession provided the
liquor is stored in his personal resi-
dence
How the Dry Bill Stands.
Section ( OF the bill specifically pro-
hibiting traff1c in intoxicating liquors as
amended by to-day's action in the COM
mittee reads:
That no person shall on or after
the date when the eighteenth amend
ment to the Constitution of the
United States goes into effect nor
while the war prohibition act shall
be in force, manufacture. sell. barter,
give away. transport. import, export,
deliver, furnish, receive or possess
any Intoxicating liquor except as au-
thorized IN this act (Section 39) and
all the provisions of this act shall be
literally construed to the end that
intoxicating liquor as beverage
may be prohibited. Liquor for nom
beverage purposes and wine for sac
ramental purposes may be purchased,
sold. transported and used as herein
provided.
Section so, which authorizes the re-
tention and use IN the personal resi-
dence Of liquors purchased and placed
therein prior TO the date when the pro-
posed act shall go into effect. was
amended to-day. The following pro-
viso was stricken from the end OF the