Norwich bulletin., 1919-07-01

Washington, June 30.-As wartime prohibition took effect tonight the de- partment of justice announced that its agents throughout the country would not attempt tomorrow to stop the sale of 3-4 per cent beer.
 This eleventh hour development, a flat reversal of an earlier ruling today by the department was due to the un- certainty as to how the federal district court of New York might rule on a pending claim by brewers that beer containing that much alcohol was not intoxicating.
 But while this uncertainty existed as to beer of lighter alcoholic percent age than that sold generally heretofore, ful. warning was given that with re- spect to whiSkey and all beverages as to whose intoxicating powers there was no doubt, every governmental agency would be set at work in a de- termined effort to prevent their manu- fracture and sale.
 How long the sale of 2 3-4 per cent. beer might continue would depend or dinarily upon the speed of the courts, but congress meanwhile will step to the front in an effort to complete the effectiveness of the wartime law.
 Exactly what they have refused heretofore to do. prohibition members of the house will now attempt-pas- sage of straight, clearcut bill for enforcement of wartime prohibition.
 When word spread tonight that the attorney general, by his ruling. had permitted beer saloons and breweries to remain in operation. members of the Judiciary committee counted noses to find sufficient number ready to go to the front to demand separation of the enforcement measures so as to get through at once a bill that would stop the sale of all beer containing more than one-half of 1 per cent. alcohol.
 Congressional leaders, it was said, refused to abandon plans for a recess beginning probably tomorrow in order fo I~ST l., gency measure. There were indications tonight that a hard fight would be made in behalf of an amendment to be offered by Representative lgoe demo- crat, of Missouri. which would permit the preSidept-to set saeisler the w1lrtt1se act insofar as it relates to light wines and beers.
 While the attorney generals staff was wrestling with the question of Intoxicating and non -intoxicating beer, the judiciary committe sent to the house its report in which the bold as- sertion was made that anything over one half of 1 per cent. alcohol was in- toxicating within the purView of the general law and that congress, and not the court, should ike the alcoholic per centage of all beverages. sale of which is restricted by prohibition statutes.
 Attorney General Palmer, in his statement as to the policy of the de- partment, called attention to the fact that the authorities in every city and state had been requested to give the utmost cooperation in the matter of enforcing all undisputed provisions of the wartime law.
 Saloons selling 3-4 per cent beer will take a gamblers chance and stay open at their own risk, it was empha- sized.
 The bureau of internal revenue, upon which will fall much of the great task of breaking up liquor selling, today issued regulations governing the sale of alcohol for medicinal purposes. These regula tions are so strict that it will be next to impossible, bureau agents said. for a man to obtain whis- key for general drinking.
 There is no restriction, however, on a mans right to use" the liquor stored in his home, nor are govern ment agents authorized to obtain war rants and seize his stock so long as it is not offered for sale.