Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-11
DRY ENFORCEMENT
BILL L|bERAL|zED
Another Step Taken Toward
Adoption at Meeting of
Committee.

Prohibition enforcement legislation
advanced another STEP in Congress to-
day. when the Senate judiciary COM
mittee began consideration of the bill
passed by the House last June as
amended and Iiberalized by the judiciary
subcommittee.
After informal discussion of the re-
vised bill. the judiciary committee
agreed to take up the measure next
Saturday.
Although ygeneral House plan for
enforcement, Of wartime md constitu-
tional prohibition remains in the bill.
the subcommittee eliminated several
drastic House provisions and modihed
others. In its work the subcommittee,
comprising Senators Sterling. republic
can, of South Dakota, chairman; Fall of
New Mexico and Norris of Nebraska, re-
publicans, and Overman Of North Caro-
lima, Walsh of Montana and King OF
Utah. democrats, first revised the Sem
ate enforcement bill and then incor-
porated their amendments in the House
bill, reporting the latter as amended by
unanimous vote to the full committee.
Separate Sections,
Like the House. the Senate subcom-
mittee adopted the plan Of having sep
arate sections in the bill to deal with
wartime and constitutional prohibition.
The subcommittee left unchanged the
House definition Of intoxicating bever-
ages as those containing one-hah Of 1
per cent or more of alcohol
AS revised, the bill will n interfere
with storage anu personal use Of in
toxicants in the homes of individuals.
Probably the most liberal amend
ment to the House bill is a provision
exempting from penalties any person
manufacturing non intoxicatjn
cider and fruit juices exclusively for
use in his house." This would permit
home manufacture of light wines and
cider for PERSONS: consumption, and
the amendment. except by implication
in connection with the definition of
intoxicants. doe not define non
intoxicating" beverages.
Stricken from the House bill was
the provision making 1t unlawful for
persons to be intoxicated or to drink
liquor on trains, street cars, jitneys,
boats or other public conveyances.
Another liberalization is pro-
vision that reports of manufacture,
sales and transportation of liquor,
made to the internal revenue COL
lector. shall not be open to inspec-
ton of the general public, but kept
solely for scrutiny Of the commits
sioner, his agents, court or other
officers.
The House search warrant pro-
vision also was made less drastic, the
subcommittee amending the search
and seizure section SO as to provide
that search warrants may be issued
only under the usual practice pro-
vfded by existing federal law, and
not on mere suspicion that liquor
is being stored for unlawful pur-
poses.
Instead of the House bilrs unlimit-
ed provision for funds to enforce pro-
htbition, the subcommittee fixed S3,-
100000 for the first years enforce
ment work. and leaves this duty
Jointly to the internal revenue COM
missioner and the Department of
Justice. The former is to report and
the latter to prosecute violations.
In defining intoxicating liquor the
subcommittee added the following
hoerailzing proviso: Provided, how
ever. that the foregoing definition
(one-half OF l per cent alcohol) shall
not extend to dealcoholized wine nor
to any liquor or liquors produced by
the process by. which beer, ale or
porter Is manufactured. but contain
ing not more than one-half of / per
cent Of alcohol. if such liquor or
liquid shall be otherwise den ominated
than as beer, ale or porter" This
proviso rejects the request If prohi-
bition advocates for prohibition of
beverages which have the appearance
Of intoxicants.
bill was made in it's provision for
penalixinE persons. having reason to
believe" their property is being used
unlawfu1ly. The Senate amendment
requires personal knowledge" of
such use.
Possession Of Liquor.
Tho House provision declaring that
after February 1. 1920, the possession
shall be prima facie evidence that
1t is being kept for sale, is retained
and strengthened by an addition pro-
vidfng that, in proceedings under this
section, the burden of proof shall be
on defendants to prove that such bev-
half Of per cent alcohol
The subcommittee revision retains
the following exemptions, as provided
by the House: Denatured alcohol.
medicinal preparations, patent medf-
cines, toilet and medicinal prepara-
gar and fruit juices. The subcom-
mittee, however, struck out the House
clause that such articles should be
"non-potable." prescribing r merely
that they shall be unfit for bsv-
A Hocse clause requiring alcoholic
content Of toilet, medicinal and anti
septic articles to be labeled was
stricken out.
Retaining the House provision pro-
hibiting manufacture. sale. purchase.
transportation or prescription Of in
toxicAnts without q p6Yhit from the
internal revenue commissioner, the re-
vised bill contains a provision that
such acts shall be expressly author
lied upon receipt of permits. The
House limit of ten days on permits to
purchase intoxicants also is extended
in the revised bill to ninety days.
Pharmacists only may sell at retail
and licensed physicians only may
prescribe liquor. The House require
ment for physical examination by
physicians Of applicants for liquor
prescriptions, however, was eliminated
The House provision limiting physi-
clans dispensing to one pint Of liquor
in ten days for the same person iB re-
tanned, but modified to provide that
such limitation shall apply only to
prescriptions ito be taken internally"
Sacramento Purposes.
More rigorous provisions guarding
transactions in wines for sacramento
and religious purposes are provided
by a provision requiring issuance OF
such permits only to ministers, rabbis
or other ecclesiastics.
House provisions regarding adver-
tfsing Of beverages are made more
stringent in some respects and more
liberal in others. The subcommittee
struck out provisions prohibiting sign
or billboard advertising but added a