Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-04-13
MONROE DOCTRINE Is ..,.-.
.GlNEN SPE elite EkEMP
TON BY NATIONS LEAGUE
Continued From Page

tCOntnued from rage -
600 revenue agents to liquor work,
owing to the necessity of employing
most of these men on tax collection
business. Reports that 1000 agents
will be assigned to prohibition en-
forcement work after July appear
erroneous in the light of the revenue
commissioners decision that he had
no authority nor appropriations nee
essary to carry out the task.
Commissioner Roper and Secretary
Glass have always been opposed to
lodging in the bureau the function of
enforcing prohibition measures and
haye suggested that the department
Of justice is the proper agency for this
work. r
The enforcement of revenue meas
ures which remain on statute books
regardless of the advent Of prohibi-
ton on July |, will not constitute an
adequate policing of the country so
tar as making prohibition of the man
ufacture of liquor absolutely effectiYe
or even coming near il, revenue off
Gals explain. Campaigns against
moonshners, which heretofore have
engaged a large force of revenue
agents have been very limited in
scope as compared with the nation
wide violations looked for after prohi-
btion goes into effect for the entire
country,
Technically interpreted, the revenue
laws would constitute sufficient ba~
sis for detecting and prosecuting Hi
cit manufacturers or dispensers of IL
quor, officials say, since it violates
these laws to make liquor without au-
thority Of the revenue bureau and
without paying the tax and the bu-
roau will have no authority after
July / to issue licenses. Despite this
persons detected in the manufacture
of whisky, beer wine or other IL
auors would be subject not only to
the penalties provided by the prohi-
bition act but those established by
existing revenue laws and to the pay
ment of liquor taxes in addition.
PrOhibition.sts Join in Appeal
Among the officials and influential
citizens who are said to have proposed
to President Wilson that he consider
the proclaiming of the end Of demob-
ilization before July l, and thus rem
der prohibition on that date ineffect-
i've, are some ranked as advocates Of
prohibition. Their attitude it was eX-
planned today, is that without proper
provision for enforcing prohibition
there would be many violations, that
consequently the cause of prohibition
would be discredited and that re-
vulsion of feeling on the question
might occur.
There has been no Indication of
any intention on the part of the
president to follow these suggestions
for the sake of preventing the effect
iveness Of wartime prohibition. It
also was stated today that the trea-
sury would make no formal or Off
cial suggestion regarding action to
postpone the effective date Of
prohibition and that any position Mr..
Roper might take on this phase of the
question would be entirely personal,
and not in his official capacity
A number of members of congress
recently have discussed proposals that
repeal of the war time prohibition
measure be sought if a special session
is called soon. Even some advocates
of prohibition have discussed the pos
sibilities of this action, although they
have not indicated their adherence to
any such plan. Most prohibition sup
pOrters are believed to be strongly
opposed to these suggestions,
President Wilson also has been
asked to remove the ban on the brew
ing of beer now in effect imposed
originally as a food conservation act.
Under modification of this eXecG-
tive order, permitting the manufac-
ture of "near beer brewers in New
York and elsewhere are seeking 70
make a product containing 2 ga per
cent alcohol claiming this to be non
intoxicating. The revenue bureaus
attitude toward 2 ga per cent beer
has not yet been determined finally,
pending receipt of an opinion from
Attorney General Palmer Temporari-
lily, however, Mr.. Roper has instruct
ed revenue collectors not to sell reve-
nue. stamps ordinarily affixed to beer
/ to brewers desiring to make 3-4 per
cent beer.
Thus the manufacture of this beer
at this time is considered Illegal, ana
| the bureau has not been apprsed that
any brewers were actually making ~
| Tentatively it is said the contention
of the revenue bureau is that St
per cent beer may not be made legal
ly under the presidents food conser-
walton order ana this contention has
| been upheld in a brief presented to
Attorney General Palmer in connec-