The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1921-11-04
BEER REGULATIONS
HAVE BEEN ISSUED
BY SEC'Y MELLON
Pressure by Wet Interests Brings
'MedicinaP Beer

iof inc manufacture oil peer and Its
sale by druggists on physicians pre-
scrptions. The regulations provide
that not more than two ane one-half
gallons OF beer may be prescribed at
one time for use by the same persons
but there is no limit on the number
that may be issued by physician
! This is the statement given out by
Secretary Mellon in explanation
The issuance of the beer regulations
was delayed originally because it
seemed probable that Legislation
would be enacted whereby the action
of the department would be of no
! practical advantage to those inter
ested, and this view appeared to be
acquiesced in by them, since there
was at that time no urgent demand
for the issuance of the regulations.
However, for some time past it has
been strongly urged by those inter-
ested that this department had no
right longer to withhold these regula-
tons, and that in so doing the depart
ment is denying to those interested
their clear, legal right and thereby
imposing serious loss upon them. The
legal rights of the parties concerned
being plain, the department is unable
longer to delay the issuance of these
regulations"
"Those Interested"
There is no doubt that those in
terested," in t he above explanation
are the manufacturers and sellers of
beer. For some time the wet inter
csts have been urgently requesting
that "rledlcinal' beer be permitted
No Beer For Illinois
The following statement by F.
Scott Mcbride, State Superintendent
of the Anti-Saloon League, calls at
tention to the Illinois law against
medicinal" beer.
This whole question Of prescribing
beer as a medicine and the agitation
on behalf of it by the organized out
lawed liquor traffic makes clear the
fact thai it is not an honest effort to
is an effort to bring back the whole
liquor traffic.
These regulations however, do not
apply in Illinois and some forty other
states because of State Legislation
prohibiting the sale of beer as a
medicine within these states. Section
8 of the Illinois Prohibition Act, en-
acted by the last General Assembly
and which went into effect the first
of July, reads as follows on this
proposition:
ut SHALL be unlawful to pre-
scribe wine, beer or any alcoholic
malt liquor"
This is definite enough. This was
one OF the contested points of the bill
in the Legislature and it was well
understood that it would prohibit the
sale of medicinal beer, by those vot-
ing for or against the same. All state
officers of course are expected to en-
force this law now on the statute
books.
May Lose All Permits
1t might be we'll for those who pre-
scribe liquor of any kind to bear in
mind that if any persons have within
one year from the time they make
application for permit to prescribe
| 1r,arc xy,01otaI a,thar fhn Stofe
Federal law they can not secure either
State OF Federal permits to prescribe
liquor of any kind.
Section 7 of the Illinois Prohibition
Act reads as follows on this point:
mo permit shall be issued to
any person who within one year
prior to the application therefor
or issuance thereof shall have
violated the terms of any permit
issued under this act or any law
of the United States regulating
traffic in liquor"
Section of the Volstead Act,
which is the National legislation, on
this point reads as follows;
mo permit shall be issued to
any person who, within one year
prior to the application therefor
and issuance thereof shall have
violated the terms of any permit
issued under this title or any law
OF the United States or of any
State regulating traffic in liquor"
The question of prescribing medi-
cinal beer will be settled with the
vote in the United States Senate on
the Anti-Beer bill, which has already
passed both House and Senate and
awaits only the adoption of the con-
ference report. But even for that
period OF time regulations permitting
medicinal beer will in no way apply
to Illinois. Any one who presumes
to violate this law they will lose, as
both the Volstead Act and the Illinois
Prohibitions Act makes clear the right
to prescribe any kind of liquor what