New-York tribune., 1919-09-08
Prohibitionists in House
Would Permit Passage
of Amendment to Make
Cider and Mild Wine
Fight Over, Says Volstead
Bill to Have States Issue
Liquor Permits Will
BE Protested, However
No1c York Tribune
" Gshit1Qton Bureau

WASHINGTON. Sept. 7.-House drys
will not fight the Senate amendment to
the Nolstead prohibition bill permitting
the manufacture in the home of cider
and light wines, it was learned to-day.
This is the one bright spot in the
dark sky of prohibition legislation,
which the House is expected finally to
dispose of this week, after which the
bill will await President Wilson's re-
turn to be signed and made effective.
Under this amendment, which the
House refused to entertain some time
back, even though Chairman Volstcad
did not oppose it. the right Of a man to
use his home for the manufacture of
mild Notwithstanding drinks is guar
anteed. provided he does not set up
selling organization"
=. c. Dinwiddie, of the Anti-Saloon
League. did not oppose that amend
ment tonight. Mr.. Dinwiddic took the
view that the prohbitionsts have won
their big fight in gaining Congress
lntoxlcants as those containing one
half OF l per cent Of alcohol.
Home Brews Not Opposed
eve have no objection to the manu-
facture Of notwithstanding drinks in
the home" asid Mr. Dinwiddie, "and
don't believe its permission will cause
any more law breaking than would
have occurred anyway if it had been
prohibited. There is going to be some
law breaking, of course, but we ex-
pect to see the very people who OBJ
jected strongest to being deprived Of
their personal liberty backing up the
prohibition cause within a year"
According to Mr. Dinwiddie, there
is much consolation to be found in the
fact that California wine growers have
he characterized as "a very good nom
alcoholic winc-like grape juice"
1t is pointed out here, however, that
there is always going to be consider
able doubt, when cider and light wines
are made in the home, as to whether
the brew is Intoxicating under the
terms of the law. How would one
know, 1T is asked, just when he is get
ting beyond the one-half Of l per cent
stage? 1t was also suggested that
many people would not take great
pains to find out.
Fight Over, Says Volstead
The average homemade wine, ac-
cordng to recipes furnished the House
recently by the department OF Agrl-
culture, ordinarily contains from 2 to 6
per cent alcohol, and some recipes fire.
quently call for from 20 to 80 per cent
alcohol.
Another Senate amendment, however,
will not meet with the approval of the
House, it is stated. This is the new
provision that states and not the Fed
eral government shall issue and keep a
list of permits for the manufacture
sale and prescription Of Intoxicating
liquors.
Chairman Volstead Of the House Ju-
dietary Committee declared tonight
that so far as he can see the fight
against prohibition is over. There is
no widespread movement, he said, to
increase the alcoholic content of bev-
erages. Business, he declared, is for
prohibition. Economic reasons, and
not morals, he said, have caused the
downfall of alcohol as brought about
by the prohibition amendment and the
present bill.
Conference on the bill will COM
mence promptly, ne said tonight, with
the probable result that by the end of
the week the House Will have finally
disposed of the liquor question.