Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-05-23
Congress
TO Decide
Beer Issue
House and Senate to Settle
Question of How Tight Pro.
hibition Lid Will Be
Clamped Down.
New Bill Expectedto Pass
BY ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
CHICAGO Tribune 0m aha RAA Vnased Wira


Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.
Washington, May 22--Whether
beer is medicine is to be decided by
congress shortly in a course of
spectacular contest between the drys
and vets which will determine also
whether the prohibition lid is to be
clamped down as tightly as is de-
sired by the anti-saloon league.
The drys, accounting this congress
even dryer than the last, believe the
skids are safely creased for the pas
sage of the new Volstead bill pro-
hibiting the use of beer for medicinal
purposes, suspending importation
and manufacture of liquors for any
purposes until the present surplus is
exhausted and otherwise tightening
enp prohibition regulations.
In the meantime the administration
plans TO issue regulations for the
prescription Of beer under the Pal
ner opinion, as soon as the new
commissioner OF internal revenue
takes Office. Beer then will be avail
able for medicinal purposes until
prohibited by congress. in the event
OF the passage of the supplementary
N'olstead bill. Administration sena-
tors will endeavor to have the ap-
pointment of David Blair for internal
revenue commissioner confirmed by
the senate this week.
volstead Bill Up Soon.
The Vo!stead bill is scheduled to
ha hxr t,A
committee shortly and its early pas
sage by the house is predicted by
the drys.
Opponents of the measure con-
tended that the measure is superhu-
Gus and ineffective. but the dry
forces pronounced it necessary, in
view of the Palmer ruling that beer
may be prescribed as medicine and
of the limitation placed upon the
prohibition commissioner in dealing
with permits for manufacturers
whose products are used for bevcr-
age purposes.
Wayne 5. Wheeler, general coun-
sci for the anti-saloon league, re-
fuses to believe that the United
States suddenly has become a ma
ton of invalids, as would seem to
be indicated by the enormous in
crease in the use OF liquor, osten-
sibly for medicinal purposes. He
told the committee that 35,000,000
gallons would be, withdrawn from
the bonded warehouses this year for
nonbeverage purposes. compared
with an average Of 100000 gallons
4 year for such purposes prior to
the advent Of prohibition.
Men in the Treasury department,
Who are in position to know the
facts" said Mr.. Wheeler, estimate
that about 50 per cent of the in
creased Withdrawals are illegally di-
verted. This means that about 15,
100000 to 100000 gallons of liq-
uor are wrongfully used.
Adequate Power Lacking.
"The present law does not give
adequate power to the enforcement
department to cope with this situa-
tion.'
The drys are greatly aroused over
The discharge of 700 prohibition en-
agreement officers which, it is as
serted, will result in the complete
Generalization OF the forces admin
iStcring The 18th amendment. These
officers are being discharged because
of lack OF funds for their pay, the
last congress having refused to ap-
rropriate the necessary 500, 900 for
the remainder of this fiscal year. The
Treasury department, according to
The drys, could not be induced to
Isl; this congress to appropriate for
the deficiency.
There will be ample funds for the
complement of enforcement agents
on July and the drys suspect the
administration deliberately refrained
from asking for a deficiency appro-
priation in order to get rid of 700
democrat appointccs whose places
can be filled on July l, with repub-
licans.
at seems that thousands of cases
OF tax assessments involving millions
OF dollars of prohibited taxes will be
jeopardized," said Mr.. Wheeler.
This government will lose S. for
every 81 it will save by this trans
action. Only 800 to 400 enforce
ment agents will be left"
Mr.. Wheeler said that the death
of Chief Justice White whose de
cisions sustaining prohibition laws
greatly helped the advent of national
prohibition" had spread gloom over
the dry headquarters"