New-York tribune., 1919-12-17

question. If this permits the sale Of
2.7b beer attorneys for these interests
say they would hardly Join IN any ac-
tion against the constitutionAl amend
ment,. as the entire liquor traffic would
thus be placed In their own hands.
The possibility of host of civil
the government to compensate them
for their property losses was secuted
by their counsel. 1t was asserted that
In the opinion handed down by the Su-
prsme Court IL was held thxt the war
time act was not confiscatory and that
the dealers had received ampls time to
dispose Of their stocks.
While various met ode of combat
Ing the dry era were being pressed the
restaurant and hotel men Of the city
were not content to sis idly by and
meeting OF 800 of their number, for
merly organized under four different
organizations, it was asserted unless
something was done 1t once a great
proportion Of them would have to-
close up A combination was formed
and an agreement made to raise the
price Of all foodstuffs 10 per cent on
January !.
In return for this they promise the
public better service. better quality
Of food and the betteyment Of the
workers Besides, they propose to
give to New York a Mardi Gras New
Years Eve, with cider as the princi-
pal drink, and with decorations, souve-
Mrs and "doings" rs have never been
seen here before.
Few Wet Spots Remain
New York was not quito bone dry
yesterday and it was still possible to
some place. But the prices have sky
rocketed to an almost prohibitive
height, despite the fact that there are
about eighty or ninety million quarts
of liquor in storage In or about the
city. There is very little possibility
Of these spirits being exported before
January 1s, and IN addition to the ex-
pcnsc o. keeping thi sin storage the
dealers face the loss of their entire
stocks if they are not disposed Of by
the time the constitutional amendment
| takes effect.
In connection with this phase Of the
Superintendent of the Anti-Saloon
League, said that the proposal Of the
dealers to sue the government for this
loss Indicates that they are either
too stupid or temporarily too dazed
to realize their status and the temper
Of the American people"
Congress may concevAbly purchase
the liquor left on hand at a rock
bottom price for redistillation to SAL
wage the alcohol" says Mr. Anderson,
''but the American people would not
there was reasonable assurance that
there would be no further attempts to
defy the law or nullify' the Consti-
II on.
"The truth is that most of these
liquor men have not actually lost
cent, unless the failure Of anticipated
profits to materialize can be called
loss. Most of them cleaned up long
ago, and whatever they would have re-
On hand if they had been able to sell
It, would have been velvet If these
liquor men press the question Of COM
pensation for their liquor they may
find brought up against them the ques-
sion of COMPENSATION for the damage
done by the traffic. These things must
be mutual.
"Other gamblers when pinched take
their medicine. Why should liquor
gamblers receive any greater consid-
eration7 The liquor traffic has been
bition Of yellowness will help to recon.
ellie even its supposed friends to it's
complete destruction"
George l.. Donnelan, counsel for the
Retail Liquor Dealers Association,
said: "Our only hope now seems to
be proclamation by the President,
and am not overhopeful that this will
be Forthcoming. In any event the re-
naming time ls SO short until the
nj vol rIvxn
feet that we feel nothing better can
be done than to concentrate our ef-
iorts upon aiding the test suit brought
by Rhode Island. which goes directly
to the root of the whole matter I'm
less the President takes action, it goes
without saying that we will observe the
law in accordance with the decision Of
the Supreme Court"
Albert l.. Strasser, counsel for the
New York State Wholesale Liquor
Dealers Association, says that there
is nothing for the dealer to do but
export what he can before January 16
and to sell whatever he can after that
for medicinal, scientific and sacramen-
tai purposes.
"There is no market for American
whisky. however" he said. except in
America, and, besides, there are not
enough ships to export it either to Eu-
situation will mean financial ruin to
many wholesalers and retailers who
have large stocks of liquor in bond.
There are between 60,000,O00 and TO-
100000 gallons Of whisky in bond in
America and approximately 100000
gallons out OF bond. On the latter
dealers have paid tax to, the gov
eminent Of 500 a gallon, which never
Erauk noiand oA4.~~.., e..