The New York herald., 1921-05-17
FAKE BOOZE TALES
SHOCK HOUSE BODY
Volstead Law Hearing Draws
Protests From Patent
Medicine Men.
EXTRACT MAKERS JOIN
.,
Can't Get Drunk n FlavOrin 9
and Live, One Tells
Committee.
EXTRACT MAKERS JOIN

WASHINGTON, May 16.-The extremes
to which some men go to satisfy the
craving for strong drink since the coun'
try went dry shocked the House Judi
ciary Committee to-day at hearing on
the Volstead bill to make the pnohibi-
ton enforcement law more drastic.
Representatives of manufacturers OF
fiavoring extracts. patent medicines and
perfume, In protesting against added
restrictions which they claimed would
interfere seriously with their business
were outspokcn in opposition. to medi-
cal beer and the sale OF concoctions
masauerading as medicine but actually
used az beverages The story of the
man who became drunk after drinking
hair tonic, Jamaica ginger and similar
things crept In continually during the
examination OF witnesses
In a list Of more than 100 products,
branded as booze medicine" some old
bottles that had their place on the
shelves of country drug stores for more
than half a century, were paraded in
full view Of the committee, and de-
nounced by spokesman for proprietary
medicine associations. who declared they
had begun medicating alcohol used in all
their preparations long before the Eigh-
seenth Amendment swept out the bars.
There were frequent clashes. Nobody
said a word In favor OF beer. The
patent medicine men told Mr.. Volstead
that so far as they were concerned he
could 90 as far as he liked with that
once popular drink. but they did not
agree with his announcement that he
would fght to prevent the USE OF vine
AS an alcoholic base for any remedy.
The favor.ng extract manufacturers
we're more pronounced In their opposi-
lion to the new tightening UP measure,
one witness reminded the chairman that
mis- enforcement act had to be amended
IN the House in order to give them
ehaace 20 i've.
Charles D. Joyce. president OF flavor
ing extract association. declared no man
had ever been able 10 drink lemon ex-
tract N sufficient quantities 10 make
him drunk and live TO tell the tale.
"The only man who ever tried TO do
IL. 10 my knowledge" Mr.. Joyce said.
had 10 llae hts mouth and throat with
;'aicum powder before taking the first
swallow"
The witness was asked II ne knew
anything of the practice of taking the
-
bread. which soaked It up like a sponge.
But he never heard OF 1t. Nor had he
ever heard Of jamaica ginger drinking
fiends. he added.
well. I've seen droves of them,' said
Chairman Volstead.
Everybody wanted TO get rid OF the
medical bootlcgger Some suggested
that his products be taxed IL he could
not be suppressed.
Representative Hill (Md.), Repuol-
can, who has introduced bill to repeal
the Volstead law. urged an amendment
which would put prohibition enforcement
sauarely in the hands OF the Attorney
General Asked II he thought i wouia
lead 10 more rigid enforcement, Mr. Hili
replied tha. he thought Il would.
Then. II you are trying TO repeal the
Volstead act, why so solicitous aDout It's
enforcement? asked Representative TIL
man (Ark). Democrat. ,s.
"As long as we have that law It ought
to be enforced" he declared. But wnen
you have a law that Is nationai JOKE
because of non-enforcement, II Is calcu-
lated TO bring all laws In contempt.
While the present Volstead law was
being shot at and defended. members OF
the committee claimed that 1t was not
near so drastic as Illinois and Maine
prohibition statutes. Representative
Hersey (Maine). Republican. referring 70
sixty years of prohibition In his state
told how 1t had worked.
"All / have to say about the Maine
prohibition law" replied Mr.. Hill. was
that my greatuncie helped to frame II
and he died regretting It."