The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-11-09
COURT RULES ON
STOREDLIQUORS
Decision Nav Mean Early With
drawal Of Ten Million Gal
Ions from Warehouses

washington. Nov. s.-Storare OF
lawfully arquircd H9uar IN commercial
warehouses and the transportation of
such stocks % the home of che owner
n not prohibited by the voistead act
under decision handed down today
by the supreme court
In passing upon the appeal of WI
liam q. Street. of New York. from de-
cislons of lower courts refusing 20 en-
join internal revenue oficials Nfrom
seizing liquors ne had placed in room
rented from a safe deposit commany.
the supreme court reversed the lower
courts and held that the injunc tons
should be granted.
The effect ~ this ruling had not
been fully appraised tonight by In
ternal revenue and prohibition en-
forcement officials. The belief was
expressed. however that the result
might be tho release OF some fN.00e. :
900 gallons - intoxicating beverages
which have been stored IN warehouses
since January rs. 1890.
Records on Gle here. show that. In
addition 70 immense quantities of Ilq-
uors purchased and stored by indi-
vidunl consumers. there were in stor-
axe when the Volstead act became ef-
fective large stocks held by hotels.
and restaurants as reserves Wheth-
90 these lattwr stocks come within to-
days ruling nas not been determined
n was anticipated that test cases
would be nlsd soon on this and simi-
lar questions arising from the unde-
termined scope ~ the new interure-
tation 81 the Volstead act
Justice Clarke. who rendered the
opinion today. held that the transpor-
tation of iiquor from warehouse stor-
age 20 the owners home would be
legal II they had been lawfully ac-
puircd and for lawful purpose
The opinion pointed out howevez,
that internal revenue authorities un-
doubtediy had the administrative
power 70 regulate the transfer 81 such
liquors. - az to Iucvent their use IN
violation of the law.
Justice McReynoIds. concurrIng Ia
the judgment Of the court. dlssented
a. 90 the reasoning BY which IL was
reached
erly Interpreted BY the courts below
ne said. sbut 90 enforce u as thus
construed would result IN virtual con
tfHAttAHN NA AAWN&AAH ACQUIRES ANANTN
hy preventing or undulv interferinK
with their consumption by the owner
The eighteenth amendment gave no
such power 70 congress. Manufacture
sale ard transportation are the things
prohibited--not personal use
Prohibition enforcement officers be-
gan studying the decision immediate
~ after u was given out The opinion
was frankly expressed that many
changes would have % be made In the
enforcement regulations bat pending
detailed study of the ease and the cir
eumstances surrounding the litigation.
no official statement was forshcoming
one effect foreacsn was the danger
of increased opportunity for fraud
among persons seeking means of vio-
lating the law without the check on
transportation provided by the per-
NIT system offlciAis indicated that
they expected greater dif3cuity IN
controlling unlawful sales
A conclusion had not been reached
tonight am 20 whether the courts ia-
depreciation opens the way for unre-
stricted transportation ia Interstate
c0mmerce. The transfer can be made
within : state apparently was speciac
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