New-York tribune., 1920-06-02
Holds Z. s. Must
Buy All Iiel luor.
10 Enforce Law
Prohibition Agent Shevlin
Sees Federal Ownership
of Bonded Spirits as
Sole Bar TO Violation,
ZOO Dealers Face Arrest
Prosecutions TO Follow
if the Supreme Court
tpholds Nolssead Act

James s. Shevlin, supervising Fed
eral prohibition agent, declared yester
day that the Eighteenth Amendment
could be enforced only through govern
ment purchase of every ounce of dis
tlIIed llquor now in bond. Mr.. 81 hevlin,
however, declared it was ridirulo us to
assume that the VoIstead act had not
been effective.
Regardless Of any defects which
may exist in the Volstead act" Mr..
Shevlin said. "the official figures shov,
that about three times as much liquor
was consumed each year prior to the
war than there is liquor in bond at the
present time"
The supervising agent scofed at the
loea OF the government releasing spir-
It's from bond for the sake of revenue.
MIR. Shevlin announced that, in the
event of the Supreme Court upholding
the Nolstead act. "at least two hundred
dealers in this city" would be arrested
promptly on evidence which already is
in the possession Of the Federal au-
thorities. He said "some Of the biggest
number.
Compares Withdrawals
Despite limited staff Of enforcement
mits to remove liquor from bond, liti-
CATION over the validity of the Vol
stead act and 7S1 arrests since January
l6, the actual withdrawals OF distilled
liquors from bond for the last eleven
months have not exceeded 5000 900
gallons. Mr.. Shevlin said.
III 1916, prior to wartime prohibi-
ton, total of 1856 ,525 gallons were
withdrawn from bond, ne asserted. A
comparison of the figures for the last
eleven months and the full year of
1915 thus shows that so far as bonded
spirits are concerned the Withdrawals
for consumption have been 73 per cent
less than for the year 1916, when the
liquor traffic was at ts peak.
Investigations by special force
under Mr.. Shevlin have disclosed that
many peraons holding permits to OBJ
tain liquor from bond are diverting
beverage spirits for beverage pur-
poses. Mr.. Shevln announced that
these offenders would be assessed the
ftl. government tax Of $6.4o a proof
gallon, ard that the sum to be col
.ectcd in taxes would amount to $780,
600 or more.
In addition to requiring them to pay
the tax, the offenders are liable to Grim
NAL prosecution. The collection Of the
I'm C!4bIcl anu W b ile. "a CIA IAiS
stock from persons who have misused
their permits is new phase Of the
Federal agents campaign. The diferen-
tial amounts now to S4.2O Il proof gal
lon, and the original tax was 1920,
which makes the total SG.40. The pen
Atty also includes revocation Of the
permit.
Mr. Shevlin said new system Of
issuing permits would be put in effect
hero soon to counteract the growing
number Of forgeries and high-handcd
transfers Of permits for large sums OF
money.
Itinerant Vendors Methods
Enforcement agents say itnerant
liquor dealers open up places Of bust
ness and a.. the end Of month they
have made 80 much money that, not
caring to take further chances, they
close down or seek less dangerous loca-
tions Invariably these dealers have
licenses which permit them to sell bev-
crages of a on-alcoholic content or
beverages containing not more than
one-half 0. one per cent alcohol. Under
the law they are required to stay at one
place.
That arrests are having little effect
on the trade is indicated by the fact
that some offenders have been arrested
as many az scven or eight times.
II know conditions are getting better,
in spite Of all our difficulties" Shevlin
said at is difficult and very expensive
70 get drink In New York Cit,. ="