The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-07
WHOLESALE LIQUOR MEN ID BE DRIVEN
 OUT OF BUSINESS
Drastic Action to Be Taken for Elimination of "Men- ace" to Enforcement of
 Dry Laws
By Associated Press


 Washington, August 6.-Ehmination by the government of the wholesale liquor dealer as a means of simplify ing prohibition enforcement appeared a possibility tonight with the an nouncement by Prohibition Commits sioner Kramer that the issue of whole sale permits in the future would be "rigidly restricted"
 Mir Kramer declared the wholesale traffic presented the greatest problem with which enforcement officials were confronted. Wholesale dealers, he as- perplexed government agents and which made the dry law difficult to enforce. This phase of prohibition en- forcement was said to have developed consideration by officials of the inter- nal revenue bureau of plan by which the quantity dealer would be driven out of business entirely and the liquor transfer made direct from bonded warehouse to retailer or consumer.
 Although no decision had been reached and none probably will be immediately, the approaching period when wholesale licenses are reissued for the next calendar year is expected to bring the question to head. Ap- plications for wholesale licenses must be in the hands of federal officials by October l, giving the government the three months prior to January l in which to investigate the responsibility of the applicant. Officials said that, regardless of the bureaus decision with respect to elimination of the wholesaler, the number of licenses is- sued for the ensuing year would be smaller.
 DRASTIC ACTION LIKELY Treasury records reveal that more wholesale licenses are in existence now than immediately prior to the effective date of the volstead act. Commission CT Kramer said that wai.e the whole salers were being watchet drastic ac- tion may be made necessary ill certain sections.
 | No licenses have been issued in Chi cago for the last six seks, Mr. Kra- mer said. Other officials re?ort,d that l similar checks had been pl acsl on the number of wholesale dea.srs elsewhere MT. Kramers visit to the New York ! district this week was said to have resulted in tightening of restrictions | there. lH6 SlludllcU III - sulting from the ruling of Attorney | General Armstrong that no Maryland state or Baltimore mun.cioai officia i could aid in dry law enforcement work has compelled the transfer of addi' tional federal agents to the Maryland l district, Mir Kramer announced. H'
 aoded that enforcement work would bt
 pushed everywhere. regardless of loca l lco-operation.
 l Wholesalers and plain bootleggers. | it was asserted by prohibition enforce
 ment officials, have conbineu to com l p.icate the enforcement of tho law 1T 1 Baltimore, and the conditions ther fave entered largely int1 the develop | ment of prcgram to abolish th : wholesale license.
 1 As another step towiri strict en 1Crcement, officials were said to b drafting regulations defining the statu of federal enforcement officers. an, also to be inquiring nto state lav | pi ovisions to determine what dutie the local authorities co1id be require, to assume in upholdins- federal laws These questions probably will be pu up to Attorney General Palmer. .