New-York tribune., 1920-05-01
j. Barleycorr, Coming Back?
Saloon Men Plan C1'eefiqe.
Beer of 275 Variety Sure, They Say, When Gov
ernor Signs Bill, and Some Are Confident
U. 5. High Court Will Annul the Volstead Act

Tho follo,Ving account OF certain
Interesting (ond perhaps rortsntous)
Happenings acos 'crittc'7 By reporter
~hose VerGcity the editors have no
reason to doubt. But about four
tjths OF tbs apay through it the in
ferested reader vill come to ting
mark, knoson to printers as the "jim
ddsh," touotced by an Albany date.
He Is asked to pursue tho story at
least thot far aoith as light a heart as
his conscience aUiu ollow.l
In the spring the country's fancy
lightly turns to thoughts of 275 and
other thirst quenchers of more than
one-half Of 1 per cent alcoholic con-
tent. Those who keep the meteoroloei-
cal box score declare it's going to be
hot summer. Hence the thoughts of
dripping schooners.
One whose thoughts drifted pleas
antly into channels of liquid enlighten-
ment could not help but visualize
scenes in New York yesterday that
seemed laden with a strange and mys-
terlous portent. There is dim but
significant rafting within the shroud
OF the late John w. Barleycorn.
Ihe experience yesterday of q care
worn inmate of the Bedford section of
Brooklyn provides an apt illustration
of the weird things that are happening
at various points within the five bor-
oughs. He was on his way to work, his
lunch money carefully secreted in q
vest pocket and his thermos bottle, re-
Gently filled from the family still,
lodged comfortably on his hip.
Sign Startles Workman
AT the corner of Dekalb and Classon
avenues his melancholy thoughts were
suddenly shattered. He stopped his
eyes bulged and his Adams apple
heaved like the walking beam of an
Erie ferryboat. He clutched blindly at
friendly lamppost for support and
shaded his eyes. Then he pinchcd him
self to make sure that he was awake.
Carpenters and painters were at
work on store on the corner, and
through the dust of their activities the
Bedford resident could read a sign
that bore a miraculous legend 1t said !:
THIS PLACE TO OPEN ON
MONDAY AS A FIRST CLASS
BAR AND CAFE"
The Brooklynite did no work that
day. Every time he started for his
place of business his wandering
thoughts returned to that sign, and his
footsteps automatically rctraced q
course to DeKalb and Classon avenues
This incident in the far reaches of
Brooklyn was not unique. 1t was
being shared by residents Of other
boroughs, who experienced equally dis
concerting shocks as they saw laborers
engaged in resuscitating deceased Sc
looms. On Manhattan Island north of
Forty-second Street at least dozen
new cafes have opened within the last
week and others are preparing to fol-
low suit as soon as contractors can get
Harlem week ago with a gorgeous
floral display and declaration by the
proprietor that John Barleycorn was
going to stage the greatest "come-
back" the world ever saw.
Brewers in High Spirits
Local brewers were in high spirits
une reporter as to the significance of
these signs Of reviving vitality in the
trade. None of them, however, would
admit that he was harboring an opti-
mistic thought. They said they were
bent only on obeying the letter of the
law, but it was generally confessed
that the breweries are all set to let
loose a flood of foamy liquid with ex-
hilarating alcoholic content if anything
should happen to make that possible.
Are we prepared to manufacture
1852" said julius Liebman, of S. Lieb-
man & Sons. 81 should say we are!
We manufacture it now, but it is de-
alcoholized before we sell 1t, as re-
quired by the terms of the Volstead
act. If anything should happen that
would enable US to sell real beer again
we would be IN q position to supply
all our customers"
The first thing that must happen
to relieve the brewers of the discour-
aging check that has been placed upon
their business is the lifting of war
time prohibition. This ban is still in
effect and will be until the United
States and Germany declare peace. At
press hour the war between the two
countries was still going strong.
If the wartime ban is lifted and Gov
ernor Smith signs the 275 beer bill
recently passed by the Legislature the
brewers Will take chance on the Vol
stead act and Immediately begin SELL
ing lager Of that alcoholic content
This was learned yesterday from q
bsyvsx vhe said that practically. III