The daily banner., 1919-06-28
ALL DRY ACTS IN
GENERAL BILL
Presidents tCtion On War Time
Prohibition N doubt.
NO NEW LAWS BY JULY |
Opinions Of Administration Advisers
and Some congressman Vary-Re-
peal May Await Treaty Ratification.

Washington. June :,&.-All prohlbl-
ton enforcement legislation i'll one
general bill VIII be reported 10 con
gress by the hoiSe judiciary commit
tee
The blu as finally amended by the
committee will be sent to the house,
and the chairman, Nj Nolstead, VIII
ask for 8 rule for lis immediate con-
sideration. Members said it was not
likely action would be taken unni
after July t.
Representatives Dyer, Republican,
and Igoe, Democrat, both OF Missouri,
voted against reporting the Dill. Rep-
resentative Gard, Democrat Ohio, who
voted for 1t, announced he would sign
a minority report. 1t was said that
Mr.. Igoe, Mr.. Dyer, Representative
Steele, Democrat, Pennsylvania, and
possibly others would join him.
The three sections Of the enforce
ment bill are: Wartime enforcement,
effective upon It's approval; constitu-
tional prohibition enforcement and
regulation of the manufacture OF in
dustrial alcohol. Parts two and three
will become effective January 16, when
the country will go dry by constitu-
tional amendment.
Only one change was made by the
committee. This was an amendment
by Steele to the Industrial alcohol
part, relating to the re-rectitication of
wine, and said by members to be of
vital interest to wine manufacturers
in California and other states, parts
as to what President Wilson intends
to do on annulling wartime prohibit
ton, so far as 1t affects wines and
beer, after July 1, apparently there
is no one in Washington who knows
the presidents mind. There is no
agreement among administration Off
cials as TO the likelihood Of his ac-
ton.
Those who hold that the president
will take no action declare he is with
out power to do SO until the final ter
mination of the state Of war. They
say his recommendation to the extra
ordinary session of congress for repeal
of the prohibition statute in part was
based on an opinion from the attorney
generals office that congress, by the
phraseology Of the legislation, had
shorn him of the power Of action at
this time.
Prohibition is made effective by the
law until the termination Of the war
and thereafter until the President shall
have declared rehabilitation complet-
ed. Therefore, the administration
legal advisers hold prohibition can
action until the treaty of peace has
been ratified.
Some officials and members of con-.
gress contend that by termination of
the war" congress means the ending of
actual hostilit:es and that the presi-
dent has full power to end wartime
prohibition after July l by declaring
demobilization completed.
Although enforcement legislation
cannot be passed by congress and ap-
proved by the president before war
time prohibition becomes effective, the
department Of justice will undertake
to enforce the prohibition law. Unof-
fetal reports have reached the depart
ment that in a number of cities in the
east the brewing and sale Of beer COD
tanning 2A per cent alcohol will be
continued by some brewers and deal
ers on the ground that such beer is
not intoxicating.
These attempts will be watched
closely by the department, but 1t was
said no wholesale indictments were to
be expected until test cases now in
the courts had been decided