Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-02
CONGRESS MOVES
TO STOP SALE OF
PERCENTAGE BEER
Prohibition Leaders Obtain
Cali for Meeting of Judici-
ary Committee.
VIGOROUS PROSECUTION
OF OFFENDERS PLANNED
Government Seeks to Gather
Evidence and Make Arrests
Later.
MINORITY TO ATTACK BILL
Indications Arc There VIII BE Bitter
Fight on Floor of House at
Early Date.
VIGOROUS PROSECUTION
OF OFFENDERS PLANNED
MINORITY TO ATTACK BILL
indications Are There VIII BE Bitter
Fight on Floor OF House at
Early Date.


WASHINGTON. July IL Congress
and the Department OF Justice moved
today 10 stop the sale Of -. per
cent beer under the wartime prohiL!
tion act.
Prohibition leaders Of INC House.
after series Of conferences obtained
a call for meeting Monday Of the
Judiciary Committee. which is cx-
pected TO agree promptly OF an indie
pendent bill for enforcement of the
wartime LAW defining Intoxicating
liquor as containing moro than one
half OF per cent alcohol. and %
recommend prosecution OF such a bill
by the House at the earliest possible
moment. At the same time the De-
partincnt OF Justice made il plain its
agents would enforce the act accord
ing TO It's Interpretation that anything
containing more than one half of ! per
cent alcohol cannot be legally manu-
facturcd or sold.
Decisions OF Federal Judge Rose at
Baltimore in favor Of the brewers and
the 2E per cent beer. and OF Federal
Judge Sawtell at san Francisco against :
the brewers and such beer threw en-
tire legal status OF low alcoholic beer
into uncertainty. Either the Halti.
more, the san Francisco or one OF the
many other cases expected to arise
soon VIII be appealed to the Supreme
Court OF the ualted states. However.
action by Congress within n few weeks
at the most Is cXpectcd TO render "A
decision by tho Supreme Court unnec-
essary, SO far as stopping the manu-
iacturc and SALE is concerned.
No Spectacular Rnids.
Attornsy- General Palmer made 1t
clear today that while his department
would proceed in an orderly manner
without wholesale arrests or spectacu-
lar raids. Offenders against the nrohi-
tio a"q The o9 ,s.t
eases, il may he that evidence in hume
rous similar cases will be gathered
without arrests being made but if
the government; wins in the end, all
Will be prosecuted.
Except for the absence of some OF
the members OF tho judiciary Com
Time enforcement legislation would
nave been held today by the com
mittee.
Al the request OF Representative
lsoe. Democrat. OF Missouri. who re-
fused 10 vote for the general enforce
ment bill when il was reported out.
II 20 ,, last week. the House today
gave permission for the fling OF Il
minority report OIL or before July S.
Six or more members OF the committee
Will sign the report. which will con-
courts. and no; Congress. should de-
fine intoxicating liquors.
Minority OFFERS sub.titutc.
The minority will also present a sub
stitute measure, which would author
ize the President 10 lift The ban on
wartime prohibition so far as IL re-
lates TO light wines and beer, which
was exactly the thing he suGSc ed
congress should do on the grounds he
did not have thai power.
Many OF the drastic provisions OF
the bill for enforcement; OF constiiu-
tional prohibition. beginning January
l6, 1920. will be attacked IN the minor
ity report. While the majority will
attempt to obtain speedy considera-
tion OF its new enforcement measure
indications tonight were that there
would be bitter fight on the floor
Chairman Nolstead, OF the Judicia ry
Committee. was in conference during
the day with Republican Leader Mon
dell, but no statement was made pub
lie as TO what WAS discussed. When
the igoe request was before the House.
Representative Gard. Democrat, Ohio.
asked Mr.. Mondcll what decision had
been reached as to presentation next
week of enforcement legislation, to
which question the hoor leader said he
was not prepared TO state at :his time.
The position of the 'drys" in Con-
gress is that they will stop the sale
OF 2M per cent beer within two weeks
by rushing through next week n bill
defining intoxicating liquor as n bev-
eraSe or product containing II. per
cent alcohol