Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-21
'FAVORS DRY ACTION
ONLY BY BAS|CLAW
President Desires to Avoid
Imposing Prohibition on
U. S. by Ukase.
SEES UNREST IN NATION
BY DAVID LAWRENCE

BY DAVID LAWRENCE
tCopyrieht 1919. by n. Y. Evening Post. Incl
President Wilson decided to lift TIC
ban on light wines and beer because
he did not believe a reform so vital
( as prohibition should be imposed upon
: the American people by presidential
!. ukase.
( This does not mean that he himself
) favors the wet side of the argument.
{ for close friends of MIR. Wilson have
!: all along claimed that he believed
: prohibition was inevitable.
: On the other hand. the President
considers that the American people
: of the United States, to take effect
! next January. and that any attempt
{ on his part to use his presidential
. powers to put the reform into effect
Z before that time will be resented by
Z large masses of folks and may seri-
:. ously interfere with the effective en-
: forcement later on of the constitu-
: tional amendment and adversely af-
]. feet the spirit of the people toward
L the law itself.
Economic Uncertainty.
s Mr.. Wilson has been impressed also
I; by the argument that the present
period of economic uncertainty and
: industrial unrest is no time in which
to put into effect a change so drastic
as the curtailment of the working
mans beer.
Prohibitionists themselves who are
anxious for the effective enforcement
of the constitutional amendment later
are declared to have expressed the
opinion privately that perhaps it
~ fvr- t0 MI
hibition in force until more time has
elapsed to get machinery for enforce
ment organized.
Outwardly. 1t is commended. prohibit
ZIONIST leaders will make much fuss
over the Presidents recommendation,
but subsequently they will realize the
wisdom of the Presidents forbearance.
MIR. Wilson has. of course. been kept
In constant touch with the situation
for many weeks past by advisers on
this side of the ocean. 1t cannot be
said that the Presidents advisers have
been unanimous on the proposition.
Some of them have been outspokenly
against lifting the ban. but Mr.. Will
son is said to have brushed aside
every consideration of politics in the
interest Of helping quiet the indus
trial situation, so that America may
go through the reconstruction process
without serious disturbance.
Criticism on Capitol Hill
That is the Presidents side of the
argument. On Capitol Hill a veritable
avalanche of criticism has come from
those democrats and republicans who
have always been champions of dry
legislation. and good deal Of sheer
ing from wet republicans on the
ground that Mr.. Wilson wanted to put
the republicans in hole. and resorted
to a clever political trick.
Talk is heard of shelving the recon-
mendation, but 1t is quite likely that
Congress in the end will repeal and
amend the law in such fashion as to
make the lifting Of the ban entirely
that he will be responsible for the step:
The President has already announced
that II he had the power to remove the
restrictions he would do so.
ton for the republicans. The vets
among them will insist on action.
while the drys will use every parlia-
rientary device to keep the repeal
from being acted upon. Some insist
ed II he thinks he already does not
have the power to remove the restric-
ton. They point out that the Attor-
ney General. being member OF the
Presidents cabinet. could construe
vague piece of law to suit the wishes
Of the President.
Purposes Of Law.
As for the law itself and the rights
and powers of the President, the
average man can judge for himself
whether the purposes OF the legfsla-
ton have already been accomplished.
The law says:
cIusion Of the present war and there
after until the termination of demob-
tIi1ation, the date of which shall be
determined and proclaimed by the
President of the United States, for
the purpose of conserving the man
power of the nation, and to increase
efficiency in the production of arms,
ammunition, ships, food and clothing
for the Army and Navy, it shall be
unlawful to sell for beverage pur-
poses any distilled spirits, and during
said time no distilled spirits held in
bond shall be removed therefrom for
beverage purposes except for export.
After May l, 1919, until the conclu-
sion OF the present war and there
after, and till the termination of de-
mobilization, the date Of which shall
be determined and proclaimed by the
President of the United states, no
grains, cereals, fruit or other food
products shall be used in the manu-
faoture or production Of beer, wines
OF other Intoxicating malt or vinous
liquor for beverage purposes"
Thus 1T will be seen that the big
question Is whether rehabilitation is
terminated and just what the term
rehabilitation" means. On this side
OF the Atlantic, our military forces
will shortly have been reduced to a
point below the size Of the future
peace Army of the United States. On
the other side Of the Atlantic our SOL
diers now can get and have aiways
been able to get beer and light wines.
When they get home they are prompts
ly discharged.
Debatab1s Question.
Mr. Wilson, as the commandments.
chief of the Army. declares dsmobiIi-
nation to have been practically com
pieted. But irrespect of that fact