The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-04-21
To FORCE WAR
PROHIBITION
At TER JULY |
Department of Justice to Take
Hold of II
WILSON MAY TAKE ACTION
Brewers to Continue to Produce Beer
Of pa Per Cent. Alcohol, and Reven-
ue Stamps viii Be Issued

Washington, April Pot is expect
ted that the enforcement OF the war
time prohibition measure when it
goes into effect July /, will devolve
upon the department of justice. 1t is
understood that this department is
not adverse to undertaking the work.
A proposal that the enforcement be
lntrusted to this agency will be sub
mitted to President Wilson on his
return from Europe, and that he will
be urged to take this action under
authority of the Oyerman act, which
permits him to transfer duties from
one government department to an
)the-.
Discussion OF where the power to
enforce prohibition may be lodged
was prompted here by the recent an
nouncement' OF Internal Revenue Com
missioner Roper that his bureau had
not the force to police the nation ade-
quately with respect to prohibition
violations after July /. Attorney.
General Palmer has not stated Off
cially that he viii welcome the ad-
litional duties OF enforcing prohlbi.
tion, but it is said that his advisers in
the department have told him the
cessation OF war work has left a mum,
Der Of secret agents available for
some other kind Of work. ana that
they could take on easily the liquor
enforcement function
Whether the president has indicat-
ed any definite intention Of giving
the work to the department OF justice
could not be learned here lndica-
tons were that he would not take ac-
ton until his return from Europe
Since Commissioner Roper an,
nounced a week ago that his force OF
agents probably would not be able to
handle the problems Of prohibition be
cause of insuiiiciency of numbers and
lack OF specific authority, no action
has been taken by the revenue bu
rean 10 prepare Tor enforcement
Neither have there been any reports
indicating whether the president wa.
considering seriously suggestions saiC
20 have been made to him by higf
government officials that the effec
tiyeness of wartime prohibition bC
postponed from July l through declar
ing the period of rehabilitation q. al
end
Nothing substantial stands mme
diately in the way OF production b,
brewers Of beer containing 3.4 ne
cent Of alcohol, since the revenue bu
reau has decided to issue revenue
stamps required for regular beer Il
these brewers. This decision is no
to be taken as indicating the final al
jtude Of the bureau, however, IL wa
explained today Formally, the bul
eau still holds that beer containin
more than one-half Of per cent OF a
cohol is intoxicating and cannot b
produced under the presidents orde
iorbidding the manufacture of int0x
eating beverages after last Decembe
t. This attitude is held in aboyanc,
however. pending an opinion from A
torney-General Palmer, which wa
sought after brewers in New York at
nonnced their belief that = "a pc
cent beer might he made under exis
ing laws and regulations. This bee
Is now being marketed in New Yor
and similar action probably will I
taken in other communities soon. I'll
issuance of stamps by revenue collie
tors was approved by the departmel
OF Justice
If it is finally held by the COVER
ment that manufacture of beer VII
more than one-half of per cent {
cohol violates existing laws and reg
lations, the producers OF "a p
cent beer will be liable for prosec
ton, officials maintain.