The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-05-13
OF BEER GETS RA-
Their HARSH TREATMENT
SCENES OF OTHER DAY RE-
ENACTED WITH FEW FRIENDS
OF JOHN BARLEYcoRN ON
HAND TO SPEAK IN FAVOR
HIM. ,...

Washington, May 12.-Scenes OF
the days when the drys were battling
to put John Barleycorn outside the
pale Of the law were reenacted TO-
day before the house judiciary com"
z,attee, except that few friends OF
Johns family appeared To protest
against Chairman Volstead's plan to
cutoff, even for medicinal purposes
the heritage Of beer.
Plenty of drys were on hand
wearing their old time fighting
clothes, and DR.. John P. Dawn OF
New York, who pleaded for the use
of beer as medicine, was given none
too cordial treatment. In fact, ne
was roughly handled by Mr.. Yol-
stead when, with some show Of feel
ing, he challenged the physicians
ability to "explsin anything" and on
another occasion declared the wit
ness was suing a "conglomeration
of words that meant nothing"
Outstanding in the testimony was
the statement by Oliver T. Remmers
counsel for the Anheuser-Busch
company of St. Louis, that the firms
policy was "beer for all or beer for
none." He requested a congression-
al investigation of ''fayoritism and
failure" in enforcement Of the dry
code and declared his firm stood
four square on law enforcement, al
though unalterably opposed to pro-
.ilibition.
Dry leaders said there were many
leaks in the stocks Of liquor and
urged the committee to make the
volstead law airtight. DR.. Dawn,
however, resented the move by Mr..
Volstead to "dictate to physicians"
what they shall or shall not pre-
scribe and urged the committee to
await consideration of the bill by
the American Medical association at
lbs meeting next month.
"If the association says beer is
not medicine then what do you sug-
gest congress should do?" DR.. DAWN
was asked.
81 won't suggest" he replied. "Ill
just admit that majority is against
me-"
Mr.. Volstead sought to establish
why it was not possible for physi-
clans to make medical beer by using
cereal beverages and alcohol. He
asked DR.. DAWN several questions
along this line, none of which ap-
parently was answered TO the salts
faction of the committee chairman,
who finally blurted out: .:..~ ...-.,
Look here, you're trying to evade
every question I ask. Tell Us what
YOU know if you know anything =,
The witness again attempted to
explain, but was interrupted by Mr..
Volstead, who inquired why cereal
beverages were not as good for the
invalid as beer with a kick. "Oh!
That's the point" the witness re-
piled. "Near beer is just like near
craftsmanship. It can't accomplish
any noticeable result"
I don't think you know what
you are talking about" returned the
chairman, "nor do I think your in
suits will get far with this commit
tee."
Several committee members evil
denced interest in the kind of dis
eases for which the witness said he
would prescribe beer. Most of them,
however were said by the witness to
yield slowly to curative treatments.
Some were durable only in excep-
tional cases, he added.
During the discussion of law en-
forcement, E v. Claypool, superin-
tendent of the Rhode Island Anti
Saloon league, told the committee
the Volstead law was unpopular in
his state.
The Rhode Island legislature pro-
perly represented the state in re-
fusing to ratify the 18th amendment
Mr.. Claypool said:
Officials of the American DRUG