The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-26
HOPE OF LIFTING DRY
BAN SLOWLY FADING
Only Action by President in
Next Few Hours Can Save
Rum Sellers.
LIMIT TOMORROW NIGHT
Brewers and Retailers Promise
to Obey Law-Flynn Ac-
tive i'm Graft Probe.

Hope is about all that is left to the
once proud publican. AS the dread hour
for enforcement OF wartime prohibition
approaches liquor interests perceive just
one possibility that could save them.
This Is that President Wilson may take
favorable action at the last moments.
either by vetoing the volstead act or
BY lifting the wartime ban. II the Pres
ident fails to do one or another OF
chese things by tomorrow midnight, then
good night
II the President lifts the ban the Vol
stead enforcement law becomes inopera-
tive because there would be nothing to
enforce. The country would revert 10
the wet state preceding entrance of the
United States into the war. and the
booze would surely flow copiously until
January IS. 1920. when the Federal
amendment drying up the whole coun-
try becomes effective. However, there
Is not one restaurant keeper or saloon
man in ten who honestly believes re-
lief can be expected now from WASH
ington. They have surmised that the
President will let matters take their
course, possibly permitting the Volstead
bill to become law without his sigma
ture, which would be at midnight on
Monday. So they aye preparing to pad
lock their doors for good. and all before
the passing OF another forty-eight hours.
VIII Obey Law to the Letter.
The Society of Restaurateurs, the
Lager Beer Board of Trade, the Retail
Liquor Dealers Association and other
organizations of the traffic have stated
unequivocally that they will obey the
Volstead act to the letter, which means
that none OF them may sell drinks con-
tanning more than one-half of one per
cent of alcohol. This means too that
there will be a general closing of bars
next Monday night a little before mid
night, and this may prove to be one
OF the most extraordinary occasions the
city ever knew. Few saloonkeepers
could be found yesterday to say they
could keep their places open and make
a living on the one-half per cent. stuff
Daniel Porter. Internal Revenue
AGENT. reemphasized yesterday his in
tention to enforce the new law right
down to the ground. He will be ready
at midnight tomorrow to arrest and
present evidence against any person who
sells drop of stuff stronger than half
per cent. Mr.. Porter seems perfectly
confident that he will be able to close
the town and keep 1t closed even with
the limited number of Investigators at
his disposal. The word from his office
last evening was that the new law will
be clapped on unless the President in
terferes before Monday midnight.
Final deliveries of 275 beer were
made by the big breweries last night.
Possibly for the last time enormous
trucks rolled up to saloon doors, carted
TO the sidewalk barrels and half barrels
OF the soon to be forbidden amber.
Saloonkeepers generally ordered Just
about enough to keep them going over
Sunday and Monday.
Brewers Hope for the Future.
President R j. Schaefer of the New
York State Brewers Association ex-
pressed the decision of $50 brewers when
ne said:
The brewers will abide by the provi-
sions OF the Volstead act. We await
w'to confidence, however, the ultimate
decision Of the proper tribunals. I be-
lievt we have reached the peak of our
doubts and difficulties. The end Of anx-
iety and uncertainty is in sight. Either
our business will emerge from the pres
ent anomalous condition to take its for
mer position as one OF the leading and
important industries of the country, or
II will be wrecked and in ruin as testi-
mony TO the havoc wrought by the mad
ness of prohibition"
William J. Flynn, chief investigator
OF the Department of Justice continued
his inquiry yesterday into the methods
by which thousands of gallons OF whis-
key were permitted to get out of bond
Chder the pretext that It was to be ex-
ported. Some persons who seemed to
nave a pull somewhere managed to
withdraw vast quantities of hard liquor
from the Government warehouses, pre-
tending that the liquor was to be sent
10 Europe.
Subsequently the supply was taken
away from the docks. usually on the
excuse that proper credit arrangements
had not yet been made with the Euro
pean customers. but the whiskey never
went back to the warehouse. It Just
disappeared. 1t was rapidly sold In
relatively small quantities to saloon
Keepers and restaurant keepers who
have been paying recently as high as
S24 gallon. While carelessness on the
part OF Government officials might have
peen responsible for this sleight of hand
performance. Flynn Is looking into the
matter very closely with the idea that
there may have been graft paid. Tho
warehouses are controlled by the In
ternal Revenue Department
The Federal Grand Jury will resume
investigation tomorrow OF the con-
spiracy to defeat the wartime prohibit
Won act charge on which five men,
three OF them agents of the Department
OF Justice, have been indicted. A
procession of witnesses. from uptown
mostly, will take it's way to the Federal
guiding to answer questions about the
payment Of graft by restaurant keepers