The Washington times., 1920-08-21
RUM PERMITS
TO Be REDUCED
Many Used Illegally, Assertion
OF Dry Bureau-Blame Drug
Manufacturers.

mits that will be issued to dispense
| liquor next year ID predicted by pro-
hibition officials. The applications
| for permits must be filed before Octo-
| Der I, and IL the business Is legiti-
mate the licenses or permits Will be
issued January I. The prohibition Of
ncials will use the three months In
tervening between the application
and the issuance OF the permit in
making an investigation
Officials OF the prohibition forces
say that the number OF permits Is
sued since January l6 under the pro-
visions OF the Volstead act has been
too large for the force OF investi-
gators to handle and as conse-
quence. many permits are being used
illegally. The Prohibition Bureau
had issued 67,s40 permits to dispense
liquor on July 81, which practically
completed the FIRST six months OF the
work of the new bureau. There are
about rs, 200 permits outstanding In
addition to these. The permits were
issued by the collectors OF internal
revenue on authority OF the war time
prohibition. The Prohibition Bureau
has no line on these pc rmits and prac-
tically no way OF checking up on
their use. During the month OF July
the bureau issued more than 5000
permits.
NEW At BUSINESS.
The prohibition officials say that
this great number OF permits was is
sued because the officials were new
at the prohibition business and they
did not want to have the charge
made that they were arbitrary. "Wc
gave every one the benefit OF the
doubt" one OF the officials said today.
But whiic the prohibition officiab
are making plans to curtail the issu-
ing OF permits some Of the firms who
hold permits say they will contest the
action Of the prohibition commission
er " he attempts to interfere with
their business, which they say is
legitimate. They claim that the law
allows the commissioner no discretion
in the matter OF issuing permits, il
they are to be used legitimately. II
Is said that some OF the officials of
the prohibition bureau share these
same views. These same officials say
they foresee court action VI the bu-
reau attempts to curtail the number
OF permits to any great extent.
The bureau has its greatest trouble.
one official said. in convincing people
that the prohibition law was enacted
for the United States and not against
the distillers and brewers only. Many
persons are complaining, he said. be-
cause the rulings of the bureau are
"too arbitrary" The Governme mt
cannot maintain a white list" he
said, and the busines men OF the coun-
try must realize that while one man
in a certain line may be honest. his
competitor may not be and would
cut all the corners Of the law that he
could.
CRITICIsE DRUG MAKERS.
One of the chief violators of the
prohibition law, II is said, are a GER
tain number of drug manufacturers"
These manufacturers. II is charged.
withdraw whiskey from bonded
warehouses on permits to use the
whiskey in the preparation of a medi-
cine they are supposed to manufac-
ture and after obtaining the liquor
convert into other uses.
One concern in Pennsylvania, II Is
said. bought a quantity of cascara
and many gross OF medicine bottles,
and after withdrawing the liquor
threw the cascara and bottles away.
The price they got for the whiskey
more than compensated them for
the loss of the bottles and the cas-
cara. This same operation is re-
peated every few days, 1t is said. and
from the records Of the prohibition
doing a big business in drugs. while
in reality it was not doing a drug
business at all.
One OF the features OF the prohibit
ton act that has not been enforced.
is to many the most drastic clause
in the act. This clause gives the
Government the right to confiscate
the house or building in which liquor
is illegally dispensed or made. Under
this provision of the law, one Of the
officials said, IL a man made beer in
his own home and sold bottle of
1t, the Government could confiscate
the house in which he lived, regard
less of the fact that he did not own
the house. This clause, IL is said
makes it rather rough on the land
lords, and probably some sort of
compromise would be effected in
such a case arose. The confiscation Of
automobiles has been resorted to in
several instances by the prohibition
officials, but never the confiscation of
house or building.
PHYSICIANS PRAISED.
Despite the fact that some physi-
clans are fighting the methods of the
prohibition office, the officials say
that the vast majority Of physicians |
in the United States are in sympathy
with them. One day few weeks
ago a man came ino the office OF the
prob ibition commissioner and said he |
wanted a prescription for liquor. He
was told they were not issued there, |
and advised, IL i'll, to see physician.
The man said he was ILL., and that
he was a stranger in the city and did |
not know any physician who had a |
permit to write prescription. The |
official Went to his files,
and gave him the names and address,
es Of three physicians in the city who |
had permits.