The sun., 1919-07-13
SHUN THE BUTTERMILK.
Under Its Mild, Seductive Exterior the
Serpent May Lurk.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SCN-Sr: Sec
rotary Houston is. up to date on agri-
cultural extension. but on the substitu-
ton of buttermilk for beer he Is 3,S16
years behind the>;imes, and too late.
Abraham was nearly four thousand
years ahead OF Houston and made a
covenant with the Angel Of the Lord
over a glass OF buttermilk. received the
promise that Sarah should have a son,
and that his seed should be multiplied
as the stars in tho heavens and the
sands on the seashore. and should bless
all nations. That was on the plains Of
Mamre. 1897 B. c., and We have had
buttermilk ever since, a healthtul bever-
age. popular throughout the world and
strictly legal until the first OF July. when
Acknowledgement Palmer issued his
opinion that any fermented beverage
oonta lining one-half OF l per, cent Of
alcohol is prohibited by the war pro-
hibition act. and all makers. sellers and
users of such beverages are guilty of a
misdemeauor and liable 20 fine OF
$1,000 or Imprisonment for one year,
or both.
Buttermilk Is a fermented beverage
and II contains alcohol. The herders Of
Abraham discovered the art OF fernenta-
ton OF milk In those good old Biblical
days, and from that time to this the
wise men Of the East have refused to
drink fresh milk or any other kind OF
milk than fernented milk in which the
sugar has been converted into alcohol.
Abraham called it leben, Genghis Khan
called 1t kouniiss, and Americans have
called It buttermilk, but by any and all
names It is the same, a fer1nented bev-
erage with from to 3l5 per cent OF
alcohol.
Is there a schism In the Cabinet?
Secretary Houston sends out bulletin
recommending July /. 1919. as Butter
milk Day. and Attorney-General Palmer
on the same day gives out a formal
opinion that the makers and users of
fermented beverages are guilty under
the law. President Wilson has a good
word for "a. per cent. beer, Secretary
Houston recommends buttermilk as a
substitute for beer. and Attorney Gem
eral Palmer threatens the users OF both
with prosecution; and the trouble IL
that the Attorney-General has the whip
hand as the interpreter of the act OF
Congress.
Secretary Houston estimates that
there are 2S.467,000 mich cows on the
farms. and there are probably ten mill
ion milk houses In the country where
the crooks are left to stand until churn-
ing day, when buttermilk is dispensed
freely to old and young as a health CIV
ing beverage. But all these milk
houses are breweries, turning out fer
mentations which the Department of
Justice says are illegal because butter
milk Is alcoholic.
II Secretary Houston continues his
propaganda for the substitution of but
termilk for beer. and the Attorney-Gen-
eral makes good his threat TO prosecute
and punish all who make or own or as
sist in the preparation OF lamentations
containing one-half of l per cent. of
alcohol. the chief offender must be the
Secretary OF Agriculture, to whom the
farmers look as the Little Father OF the
Cabinet. lie who advises the breaking
OF the law is as guilty as he who breaks
the law.
Then why not have the Attorney Gen
eral proceed against the Secretary OF
Agriculture as the chief source OF law
lessness In regard to prohibition. and
have test case right in the Cabinet ?
Then President Wilson will know how
TO reorganiZe his Cabinet. The ratifica-
ton of the League Of Nations can wait
until this question OF what is prohibi-
ton Is settled. l. W. 3.
WAsHINGToN, July II.