New-York tribune., 1920-03-15
From, a afan oorrespondent

FROM stag Correspondent
ALBANY, March 14.--Colonely Ran
som Fl. Gillett, introducer Of the light
wine and beer bill now before the As
sembly, has taken leaf from William
H. Anderson's book and sent circular
letter to his associates in the lower
house telling them why they should
be for his measure.
Colonel Gillett-who is the highest
ranking officer in the Assembly, Col
onel Roosevelt being lieutenant col
onel-has drawn upon his war expert
ence for the style Of his letter, which
opens up like military eommunica-
ton.
He insists that the beer for which
his bill provides-3.50 per cent by vol
ume--is as harmless and innocuous as
a chocolate sundae, and that 10 per
cent wine is less harmful than cider.
He argues the constitutionalitv Of
his measure and declares that the AS
sembly must do one Of three things:
pass the volstead act as a stste law,
which he likens to a SKUNK at q
the buck.
Gillett's Unique Letter.
Colonel Gillett's letter, unique as
a piece OF propaganda, follows in full:
From. Ransom H. Gillett, member
OF Assembly, Columbia County.
ITO: Members of Assembly.
Subject: Light Wine and Beer.
II don't propose to compete with the
Anti-Saloon League in the letter-writ-
ing. industry; but take this means
of informing you about the light wine
and beer bill / have introduced.
1T sets the alcoholic content for beer
at 3.5 per cent by volume--which
means 2.75 per cent by weight.
"The President of the United States
has proclaimed such beverage to be
Notwithstanding, and his opinion on that
particular subject is good enough
for me.
Besides that, you know and know
from personal experience that the war
beer was as innocuous and non-intoxi-
bill I've introduced provides for PTS
per cent beer-'war BEER nothing
else.
"Ihe alcoholic content for wine is
set at 10 per cent by volume-this
means rs per cent to per cent by
weight-about the same alcoholic con-
tent as cider month old. The only
difference between month-old cider and
10 per cent wine is that the cider Gum
less treated to stop fermentation) gets
stronger and the wine doesn't.
Do you consider month old cider in
toXicating? You know it is not. Ii
you have never drunk any then take
the word of the Internal Revenue De-
partment;, for sweet cider is being
sold openly in restaurants and drug
stores in every pa of the state today
and revenue agen,s and prohibition
erforcers don't interfere.
Both Misunderstanding
$50, it is very clear that both the
beer and the wine permitted to be
notwithstanding beverages,' in fact as
we'll as in name.
al assume you would not believe
black was white just because the Fed
eral Congress passed an act saying it
was. You know different. So, as
sumo you don't believe beverage
containing over n Of i per cent Of
alcohol is intoxicating just because the
Federal Congress says it is. To the
contrary, you know from your own ex.
perience and knowledge that light wine
and beer as defined in my bill are
actually not Intoxicating.
"Now, the Eighteenth Amendment to
the Federal Constitution prohibits the
manufacture, sale or transportation of
Intoxicating liquors within the United
States for beverage purposes
1T doesn't prohibit the sale (Which
really means the use) Of non-intoxicat-
ing beverages.
"See the point? You know and I
know that 2.76 per cent beer and 10 per
cent wine are not Intoxicating. Hence,
we know their sale, or use, is not pro-
h1bited by the Eighteenth Amendment
But, you say, Congress has for
bldden the sale or use of anything
with over one-half of per cent OF al
cohol for beverage purposes.
,,iss so on,n 1T mas; + but that law, or act ap,
States wherein Congress has exclusive,
power to make the laws; such as the