Evening journal., 1920-08-17
DRYS NEUTRAL
] CAMPAIGN
Antisaloon League An
nounceS 1t Is Hands
of Presidency
CONGRESS TO GET
IT'S FULL ATTENTION

WASHINGTON. Aue i7.-After
slumbetIng more or less peacefully
since che national conventions ad-
journed. prohibition. as campaign
issue. Became a matter Of revived
interest today when the Aniisnloon
League announced that Il would not
take sloes between the two candi-
dates for the Presidency. but would
couonirate all It's resources upon the
eleotion OF a bone dry Congress.
Incidentally the league added The In
formation that one-half OF 4 per
cent OF alcohol as the legal limit IN
beverages was not fixed because a
drink containing more alcohol was
inloxicefinc. but that percentage was
established arbitrarily by Congress as
a standard necessary for enforce
This eIevenlh-hour view seems n
have been taken by the league In order
to square It's policy with the recent
ruling OF the Burmu Of Internal Rev.
enue 10 the effect That cider ana
fruit Juices fcrmentcd at home Tor
UUIUE d.. CONSUMPTION nAN6tAA N'AtfNfA.
more than one-half-of / per cent. OF
alcohol without being unlawful.
II is recalled that when Congress
was logislating upon the legal limit
OF aicohol IN beverages II was ar
eued hy the dry that more than one
half Of per cent. OF alcohol was
actually intoxicating by test, there
fore. the House and Senate were OBJ
liced Mo 1x that limit In order TO
comply with the mandate OF the Con
II * he belief on that Antisaloon
League Official that the major offen-
siyc of The liberals In This campaign
will be directed toward the election
Of a House and Senate which either
will repeal bodily the Nolstcad act
or 80 amend section OF that meas
ure as 10 raise the alcoholic llmit.
Because OF that belief and be- iuse
Neither Of the Prcsidntial candidates
Is ouispoken for or against pf.ehlhi-
tion as a national policy, the league
Will make a nationwide drive 10
keep t.ongress dry and VIII waste little
or nDNtime on the two party nomi-
nees Unless one or the other should
take q ,4ct stand later on.
Waync b. Wheeler, general counsel
OF the league and ITS foremost spokes-
man. in a statement Issued said that
''the prohlhliion issue In the cam
paicn N'ill center on Congress instead
on the Presidency" This statement
was Forthcoming upon The return OF
Mr.. Wheeicr from a tour Of survey
covering 20 States.
The drys viii limit their activities
with rnspeci 90 the two candidates 90
card-indeying them. giving their re-
speciitH records and quoting their re-
spcciiye uiter1nccs. leaving The re-
maInder i0 uhe voter The league
will issue a bulletin Air Wheeler
said giving the records and utter
1nces of the Presidential candidates
% the question of prohibition. bat
vii make no Inducements The
voters will be able 90 reach their own
eonolusiOns when this information Is
In htlf hands"
Meantime. the Nolslead act. or
''oode as The dry calls %. must be
safe8pQrded the drys have decided
by the election of a Congress which
vii turn rs back upon any repeal
moVeuHnt. II can be stated that the
hague and is allied organizations
Will be on The Job In every congress
ional district where there Is a wet
and q dry candidate FOR the House
coniestlng. and IN every State where
there Is a wet and dry candidate for
the Senate.
While. discussing he matter OF gen
eral Interest. The Antisal00n League
0flolaI expressed The view of his or
eaniz1tion that the Government should
lake over an liquor IN bond Ia order
better % enforce the law. The drys
are not Interested In The fact that
such 4 policy would bring relief 10
many thousands Of people who have
money tied up Ia bonded liquor and
cannot get 10 out. They are con-
cerned only in the fact. it seeml. that
II Is now too easy 10 violate the law
against removal OF bonded goods for
beverage purposes. Upon this point
Mr. Wheeler says.
One OF the difficulties now Is the
liquor ln bond and the careless is
suance Of permits FOR nOn-haverago
purpQsfs. Over 100000 gallons were
Withdrawn during the first three
months or The year. presumably for
nOnDeYerage purposes, but much -
u was diverted % beverage Use.
II would be better n the Govern
ment Look over The whole amount and
disposed Of legally and gave the own
ers the amount received or even buy
u outright. This would save enforce
ment officers a world OF trouble"
II seems reasonably certain that
Congress when q is called upon ihis
winter 90 provide additional funds
for prQlibition enforcement. Will be
asked To buy all the bonded liquor
m tne ecountry Il Is not likely That
ahyoopl seriously Will propose its
9eoniiscation, as Mr. Wheeler suggests.
u'V vNpers To receive their pay after
u ms been disposed OF.