Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-10-11
.TAKELAST STEP
FOR ENFORCEMENT
OF PROHIBITION
Dry Code Report Now Goes to
President; Veto Is Not
Feared
By Associated Press.

Washington, Oct. 11.-Anticipat-
ing attacks on the constitutionality
of the wartime and constitutional
prohibition enforcement legislation,
Attorney General Palmer will pre-
pare an opinion which will be trans
mitted to the White House before
the bill becomes a law.
Enactment of the legislation was
completed yesterday by Congress
and the measure probably will be
sent to the White House Monday.
Unless signed by President Wilson
within ten days it automatically
would become law.
There appeared to be some doubt
at the White House to-day whether
the measure would come before the
President because of the disinclina-
tion of his physicians to let him
transact any business. Should Mr..
Palmer hold the measure unconSti-
tutional, it was expected that it
would be referred to the President
for his veto. Otherwise it might be
permitted to become Il law without
the Executives signature.
1t was adopted by the Senate
earlier in the week, and goes to the
President for his approval as soon as
signed by the presiding officers of
the two branches of Congress. A
motion by Representative Igoe, of
Missouri, to recommit the bill to the
conferees and to direct them to
strike out a provision authorizing
state officials to issue search war
nj 1nfnnfnI
Efforts were made to prevent con-
sideration of the conference report.
''Wets" charged that the conferees
had put in new language. The House
refused to yield to "objections
and adopted a special rule making
the report in order with the changes
adopted by the conferees. Critics
maintained that this set a new
precedent and it was dangerous
policy, because 1t conferred too
great authority on conferees.
THE new federal prohibition code
| is a workable and enforceable law
carry out the purposes of the eight
| eenth amendment" said Wayne B.
Wheeler, general counsel of the
Saloon League of America, fol-
| lowing the action in the House.
THE bill, of course, is not perfect,
nor does it contain all the provisions
we favored. 1t is strong enough,
however, to destroy the beverage
traffic of liquor. If the nonbeverage
makers and sellers of alcoholic
preparations abuse the privilege
| granted to them, it will result in
additional legislation. The law will
never be made weaker. 1t will be
made stronger if necessary"
Do Not Fear Veto
| Asked if the friends of the bill
feared q presidential veto, Mr.
Wheeler said, mo
"The legal authority and neces-
sity for defining the phrase intoxi-
eating liquor was made clear in the
committee reports of the judiciary
Of both houses and the statement OF
perience in more than thirty prohi.
bition states"
High Points
The high points in the code from
the standpoint of prohibition are as
follows:
Defining of Intoxicating liquor
one-half of one per cent alcohol by
volume; prohibition of possession
of beverage liquor outside of a pri
vate dwelling; that supply limited
to the amount secured before the
law goes into effect; no property
right in Illicit liquor; the permi
system for nonbeverage makers
prescribers and sellers of liquor; the
provisions defining liquor nuisance'
and abatement of same; power tC
revoke permit; prohibition of liquor
receipts and formulas; seizing auto!
and illegally possessed liquors
granting. state officers power to ar
rest and seize liquor; labelling ant
keeping record of liquors made anC
sold; prohibitive tax upon illegal!
made and sold liquor.