Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-07-23
DRYS MAKE ATTACK
ON ''F|RES|DE JUG
Would Limit Liquor to Be Kept
in the Home.
STORED BOOZE is AIMED AT
w. 3. Wheeler Suggests Drastic
Amendments to BilI-Would Bar
Bottle on Hip-Says Congress
Can Fix Content.

Washington, July 17.-Authority of
congress to fix one-half of 1 per cent
as the maximum alcoholic content OF
beverages in prohibition enforcement
legislation is clear, Wayne B. Wheeler,
general counsel for the Anti-Saloon
league, declared before the senate Jul
dietary subcommittee in answering re
cent statements of Samuel Inter
meyer, counsel for brewers.
"To allow the sale of 2% per cent
beer" said Mr. Wheeler, would keep
alive the liquor trade and defeat the
purposes of national prohibition.
Friends Of prohibition do not want a
code unless 1t defines Intoxicating
liquor"
States Limit Alcohol.
Thirty-three prohibition states and
Is local-option states, Mr.. Wheeler
said, have laws limiting alcohol in
beverages. He challenged Mr.. Inter
myer to produce any court decision de-
nying congress or state legislatures
the right to make definitions.
Congress cannot consistently adopt
q weaker standard in defining the term
than they already enacted in the
states" said Mr.. Wheeler. This
means nothing can be sold for bever-
age purposes that contains more than
one-half Of l per cent alcohol"
Mr.. Wheeler told the committee pro-
hibition advocates were not asking
that possession of liquors bought be-
fore July 1 for personal use be pro-
hibited He added, however, that they
were suggesting amendments to the
pending legislation to limit the
amount of liquors which may be stored
in private residences, so as to pre-
vent homes from becoming speak
easies."
Another amendment advocated by
prohibition leaders, Mr.. Wheeler said,
is a provision for seizure of liquors in
homes where it is sold illicitly.
''Bootleggers will maintain their
homes as headquarters without such
legislation" said he.
other Amendments Urged.
Two other amendments were urged
by the witness. To prevent bootleg
ging he asked that the committee add
a clause making mere personal and
physical possession of intoXicants-
such as the presence of a bottle in
an individuals pocket-unlawful
"This is the most effective weapon
of prohibition enforcement" said Mr..
Wheeler, and Senator Sterling sug-
gested that the bill be extended so as
to penalize purchase as well as sale
of Intoxicating beverages.
Mr.. Wheeler also asked for sweep
ing search warrant powers, suggesting
that seizures be authorized without
warrant, or at least that warrants be
issued without requiring testimony in
support of requests. Otherwise he
said, LIQUOR might be removed before
officers could act.
Senator Walsh of Montana and other
committee members opposed extension
of the bills search warrant provisions
and also insisted that the provisions
penalizing searchers with malice and
without probable cause should remain.
AS to FIavoring Extracts.
The house judiciary committee, Mr..
Wheeler said, has agreed upon an
amendment governing the sale of fla
voring extracts which is satisfactory
to all interests. 1t permits wholesale
distribution of these extracts, some of
which contain 40 to 60 per cent alco-
hol, but requires retailers to dilute
beverages to less than one-half of 1
per cent, he added.
Levi Cooke, general counsel for the.
National Distillers' association, ap-
pearing in behalf of the amendments
to regulate manufacture Of industrial
alcohol and to protect 60,000,000
gallons of distilled spirits now held in
bond, said this amount was "all that
is left in the country"