The Washington times., 1919-10-03
DRYSWILLING
TO YIELD If :.
WARTIMEB4
ISSJSPENDED

Is President Wilson is minded to
lift the ban against the sale Of in
4 toxieating liquor after the procla-
nation Of peace and before the pro-
hibitiOn amendment goes into effect
on january is, no further opposition
TO such action will be offered by the
"dry" forces, according to a Wash
ington dispatch from J. Fred Es-
sary, printed today in the Baltimore
Sun.
COneede Legal Right.
These forces have just conceded the
legal right OF the President, even the
/ legal mandate, to declare a further
wet" season, IL formal peace and
army rehabilitation are consumma-
ted before the date fixed for the
amendment to become operative, and
they have given notice to the country
that, as much as they would like to
do q, they viii be unable to raise
further barriers against a resump-
ton Of the liquor tariffic
The only chance the situation has
offered for keeping the country on a
dry basis after peace, the drys de-
clare, lay in the possibility Of q kill
ing tax upon all unsold spirits, a tax
which, in effect, would have been
practically prohibitive. But even this
is now abandoned on the ground that
there is not time 70 legislate with all
the other important matters before
Congress.
Even. IL it be true, as confessed,
that the prohibitionists are now az
the end Of their resources so far as
wartime prohibition is concerned, &c
also Is true that q further period Of
legaliEed liquor selling in this coun-
Try Is BY no means q certainty. AS q
matter Of fact, Il is very doubtful,
Notwithstanding the helplessness OF
the drys and notwithstanding the
declaration Of Secretary Of War Bak-
er, that the army now tG practically |
upon a peace footing.
And the doubt lies In the fact that
the Senate continues to debate the
treaty OF peace, continues in an ef-
fort to amend that pact and continues l
in campaign to enact important res I
ervations in the event the amendments !
fail In other words. the Senate by /
delaying the ratification Of the amend /
ment is likewise delaying and per-
haps defeating the return OF the liquor
traffic
There viii be no further opportu- /
nifty to the holders OF liquor stocks to I
liquidate or for those who wish to in I
crease their stocks 10 buy in the open !
market until President Wilson has /
proclaimed that a state Of peace /
exists. At least this is true IL the 4
President follows the official advice i
given to him by Attorney General 4
Palmer, chief law officer Of the Gov 4
the President in so many words that
the latter has no right to lift the pro-
hibitiOn ban until peace has come and
until the army has been demObiliEed.
To Act When senate DOea.
This dual condition does not seem
to have been generally understood, as
hundreds Of inquiries continue to
reach Washington as to what the
President viii do and when he viii d.
II. now that the army has been de-
mobilized. Moreover, &c is known
that many liquor dealers are prepar-
ing to reopen their places in many
leading cities. They are securing Ii
censes and are being encouraged in
their plans by their legal and other
advisers.
Nor has there been the slightest in
iication that the President would dis
regard the ruling given 10 him by the
Attorney General He has said little
Or nothing on the subject even to
those closest to him, and the view
-hCse friends take is that he feels that
here is nothing to be said until the
Senate has ratified the treaty. AS
soon as that ratification comes las
zUminG the treaty Is not amended or
otherwise qualihcdD il may be put
ioWn as a certainty that Mr.. Wilson {
val lift the ban. He will do this i'm
nediatcly upon the exchange Of rati- Z
iCatiOus IL that formality can be ac-
before the constitutional
amendment goes into effect.
The legal department Of the Anti I
saloon League. in announcing that it {
las nothing more 10 interpose against &
resumption Of the liquor business 7
lfter peace has come. insists that the
,eaCe proclamation must be issued I
md demobilization completed before Z
he President can act under the war {
ime prohibition law. IF the saloons o.
eopen before they will do so in def
nee Of the war prohibition act" the "
eaEue says. But proceeding a little q
urther the leagues attorney says: y
III these two conditions are full j
lied no one can fr1et1v ~ourn1afn evan u