The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05

1 llOi1tTs
 Cereal beverages are manufactured from high-grade cereals and favored with hops, and the term cereal aev- craze" clearly and accurately defines l them.
 The use of cereal beverages tends to curtail bootlegging, home-brew . ing, moonshining, and the consump- tion of dangerous and sometimes poi sonous alcoholic connections. The attitude of the leading brewers of the United States is clearly set forth in an address delivered before the judiciary committee of the House of Representatives in Washington on May 12 by Oliver T. Remmers, at torney for Anheuser Busch, St. Louis Mir. Remmers, speaking for his client opposed the manufacture of beer for medicinal purposes on the ground that it would make it impossible to enforce the prohibitory laws. He also demanded the strictest possible enforcement of the prohibitory laws stating that his firm and other for mer leading breweries, while op- posed to the principle of prohibi- ton itself stood for and favored the rigid enforcement of the national Volstead act. He also requested Con- gross to make an investigation or the method of enforcing the present prohl bitory laws for the purpose of devising means to prevent their vto- lation.
 The Anti-Saloon League of Ala bama is the only branch of the Ma tionaI Anti-Saloon league which is out of harmony with both the Ma ticnal Anti Saloon league and the seve ral state Anti-Saloon leagues in theii' effort to encourage the manu- c.. hnr aerD They realize that the former brewing plants and their thousands of em- ployes should be kept in operation, if possible, particularly during the transformation period in which these plants are being changed over to plants for the manufacture of other products. More than two-thirds of the former brewing plants are now entirely out of business and their thousands of former employees in many instances have been added to the army of unemployed and are walking the streets of the different cities seeking employment by which tn earn a living.
 Cereal Beverages Heaithful
 Cereal beverages are universally recognized as healthful products, be- Ing manufactured in sanitary plants
  ufacturers can buy. The highest de- gree of care and sanitation is used in the manufacture of cereal bever- ages. and the concentrated strength of Americas cereals is contained in the beverages, from which the con sumer receives the benefit These beverages contain no objectionable or harmful ingredients. The use of cereal beverage is often recom- mended to promote the public health
 I respectfully submit that there is no sound reason why Alabam2 should be the only state in the union to pro- hibit the sale of cereal beverages Such a law would not tend to weaken the prohibition laws 1t would be an aid to law enforcement, and would contribute to the public health and comfort of the people. Such a law would inevitably produce consider able revenues to the state.
 It is now and always will be inn possible to secure convictions for the sale of a harmless drink. Juries will simply not convict. And so 1t has been found impossibleTto enforce the law against nonintoxicating drinks with the consequence 1t is dead let ter. The following letters from former Chief Law Enforcement Of ficer e. w, Austin, a man of long experience in law enforcement, show the impossibility of enforcing th@ law and contain valuable suggestions for restrictions and safeguards. I do not share his views as to the revenue to be derived from the business. That should not be a factor We should not license or refuse to li ,ense any drink because of the reve nue to be gotten from 1t. The propo- sition should stand or fall on it's own merits. The letters of MT. Austin fol- low.
 MT. Austin's View
 Montgomery, September 14. 1920. Hon. Thomas F. Kilby
 .Governor, Capitol.
 Dear sir: Referring to our conver- sation of the 18th instant, wish to say that 1t is almost impossible to get convictions for the sale of non intoxicant drinks. In some places it Is an impossibility to get warrants for violations of this character also find that at all government plants near beer is being dispensed
 In former days before the Volstead act went into effect and breweries were permitted to run, beer was shipped in labeled as near-beer. Since the breweries have been put out or commission, there is absolutely no danger of anything of this kind.
 Taking everything into consider eration from law enforcement standpoint, l believe 1t would be the proper thing to, pass a law permit ing the sale of non-ihtoxicationg near beers and give the state the benefit of the license for the sale of tnn Il. ! be certain restrictions. in case any one who was permitted to sell this rear beer should abuse the privilege, that "a severe penalty should be at- tached.
 Hoping the above will meet your approval. I am. Respectfully, (Signed) c. w AUSTIN.
 Chief Law Enforcement Agent.
 Reiterates Attitude
 Montgomery, Ala, July g, 1921. Governor Thomas E. Kilby, Capitol.
 Dear Sir: MT. Champion called me over phone after leaving his of flee this afternoon and spoke of con- versation he had with you relative to the near beer proposition. in which he referred to my attitude on this matter.
 Wlsn 10 say, governor, that l wrote you a letter dated. September l4' 1920. explaining my attitude. I came to this conclusion after mak- ing very strenuous effort to en- force the law relative to near beers. and found 1t almost an impossibil- fty to do so. I felt like then, and at the present time. that this being the case. these drinks dispensed without paying one cent revenue to city. county of state. that if the law should be passed with certain re- strictions and that the state should be deriving some revenue from same. Not that favor near beer, neither do