The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1920-01-21

Purchase by the government as one
alternative for the solution Of the
problem of handling the tremendous
stocks OF liquor remaining in the
bonded warehouses Of the, country was
recommended by Commissioner Of In
ternai Revenue Daniel c. Roper in a
letter to Chairman Fordney. of the
House Ways and Means Committee.
made public yesterday.
. II this plan 10 adopted. Commits
sioner Roper said. the liquor should be
concentrated in a few strong ware
houses where 1t could be economically
guarded and a government monopoly
established on the distribution. Of spir-
its for medicinal and other legitimate
purposes.
The second alternative proposed
by the commissioner was that a
large additional appropriation be
provided for safeguarding the liquor
in the present warehouses and af-
ford the owners relief from carrying
charges by placing that burden on
the government. The cost of en-
ploying adequate guards. he said
would be from $4,000, 900 to $4,000. ooo
a year.
Mr.. Roper's letter was written in
reply to a communication from
Chairman Fordney, presenting a
number of questions regarding the
stocks Of whisky remaining on hand
AZ the result of national prohibition.
TT is the conclusion of the bureau
that the owners or holders of ware
house receipts have no relief under
existing law and that any relief to
be extended to them must be based
on legislation" wrote the comms-
sioner.
Government to Pay m II Sells
Government certificates of in
debtedness might be issued TO the
present owners based upon the fair
market price of spirits as Of. say.
April /. 1919. before the price OF
spirits became so greatly inflated,
he suggested. THE government
might then retire there certificates
as the spirits are sold. q period OF
time being given for the complete
retirement"
In the purchase plan there is in
volved. in the bureaus opinion. a
considerable loss. "since the demand
Cor medicinal and scientific pur-
poses will be very small and the
amount remaining in warehouses is
so large that it Is improbable that
the total amount could be dis
tributed before q large quantity had
been lost through natural causes
evaporation mainly.
"As 70 the second alternative, il IL
estimated that the force of store
keepers should be increased from the
present number of 40 to about 200
men. Experience has demonstrated
that active a nd resourceful young men
cannot be employed at salary OF
from less than 81 to 81 a day. depend
ing upon the part of the country In
which employment is offered.
AT an average expense OF ~
day, the total annual expense would
be from 100000 to 100000. Con-
gress should provide the necessary
funds for this purpose and the de-
partment is submitting an estimate
of the additional appropriation neces-
sary for this purpose for the remain
ing six months of the fiscal year OF
s. OOo, 600
The amount OF spirits remaining on
hand, Mr.. Roper's letter revealed. is
q a. 1918 gallons. OF this amount,
approximately 62.Ooo.0o0 gallons Is
whisky; 10000 gallons Is rum. gin,
brandy and other beverage spirits,
and 2.soo,ooo gallons is non-beverage
spirits.
LIQUOR In 20 States.
This LIQUOR is stored in $50 ware
houses scattered over twenty states.
Most of it, however. is in eight States.
as follows: Kentucky. 3S134,Ss.2 gal
Ions: Pennsylvania, 1887 ,075.s: Mary
land, 6,ool, 72s: Illinois, 4.+67, 22o.a; Ohio.
3. ls2, 9a2.2; New York. 1.5SI.es1.s; Cali
fornia, 1.J02, 1122: Indiana, 1.26l. 23L1.
The liquor, according to the COM
missioner. can be Withdrawn FOR
no purposes except medici-
nal" and he added:
LAS to this purpose II may be said
that while some physicians take the
position that whisky is a valuable
stimulant and tonic in certain cases
of illness or debility the majority
opinion OF the medical profession
seems to be that 1t may be entirely
dispensed with as a remedy"
Owners of the spirits now are being
charged in excess of 81 a barrel a
month for storage and a withdrawal
fee\of 81 barrel. The entry fee was
from 81 to s..
Moreover. Mr.. Roper stated, insur-