Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-03
Decision Puts Whole
salers Out of Bust
ness Means Death
K n ell of Bootleg
Logging" Few Ex-
ceptions Sim plify
Record of Releases
A elton Based on
Opinion Attorney
General

Washington, Feb. doors of dis
tileries and bonded warehouses in
every state in the union. Hawaii and
Porto Rico were ordered indefinitely
closed against liquor Withdrawals to-
day by Prohibition Commissioner Kra-
mer. At the same time wholesale Ii
auor dealers were ruled out of further
participation in the sale of intoxicat-
ing beverages by Attorney General
Palmer.
Commissioner Kramer's drastic or
der stopping the flow of liquor from
storage and the Attorney Generals in
depreciation of the Volsted Act, pro-
hibition officials said, mean the elm
nation of the wholesale liquor deal
ers, and make possible prevention of
"bootleging" through forged permits
and illegal disposition ofintoxicating
liquor.
Stoppage of liquor withdrawals was
in extension of the order issued last
week forbidding removals in New
York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Mass
achusetts, Connecticut. Rhode Island
and New Jersey. The order does not
apply to Withdrawals of industrial al
cohol or reasonable quantities of sac
ramental wine and smakes an excep-
ton in the case of retail druggists who
are permitted to make Withdrawals up
to FIVE cases of liquor at time.
Warning against attempts to obtain
whiskey despite the nationwide ban,
was sent out by Commissioner kra-
mer who directed all owners of dis
tileries and warehouses not to honor
permits for whiskey Withdrawals
'purporting to be issued by any state
director, irrespective of the date such
permit is ,issued or approved by the
Director" No such applications are
being. approved, he said, adding that
failure to comply with the notice
would deprive owners of their license
to hold their stock still in storage.
Mr.. Palmer's opinion was made pub
lie by Internal Revenue Commission
er Williams and was said by revenue
bureau officials to constitute the au
thority upon which the sweeping clos
ing orders were issued.
Wholesale liquor dealers, the attor-
ney general held. are entitled to dis
pose Of their warehouse receipts for
liquor stored in bonded warehouses to
manufacturers and wholesale drug
gists. but the right to withdraw said
ltuunrS from hnndad warehouses; 10
granted to manufacturers and whole
sale druggists only On the ques ton
of the authority of the prohibition
commissioner to issue permits to sell
liquor in wholesale quantities the at
torney general held that power was
limited to manufacturers and whole
sale druggists
With respect to indus trial alcohol.
Mr.. Palmer held the authority to issue
permits for it's disposal in wholesa
quantities was limited to nlanufac-
turers and wholesale druggists. if the
alcohol We're fit for beverage purposes
hut not if it were denaturad
Liquor now in commercial ware
houses. however prohibition officials
explained. is exampt from the attorney
generals ruling and Commissioner
manners ban. since such liquor is con-
sidered to be in the possession Of the
owner.
The possibility Of the lifting of the
withdrawal ban upon the completion of
new regulations now being worked out
by the bureau was suggested by Com
missioner Williams in connection with
the attorney generals opinion.