Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-12-01
Anti-Beer Bill Now a law.

President Harding signed the Anti
Medicinal Beer bill last week, an act
which automatically nullifies the Treas
ucy Department regulations permitting
physicians to prescribe beer Aor medi-
cihal purposes.
The bill came to the white House
from the Capitol by way OF the Treas
ury Department, where legal experts
passed upon it, but before the Presi-
cents signature no ruling a. 10 its
constitutionality was required from the
Ettorney-Ceneral, which implies that
this question was not raised by Treas
ufy officials.
"The passage Of the Willis Camp,
bell bill, otherwise known IS the Anti
Beer act, marks new step forward
in the enforcement. OF prohibition"
prohibition Commissioner K. A. Haynes
said. ut is regrettable that some few
brewers and druggists rad suificien.
confidence that the bill would not be
signed by the President G. induce the
brewrs to pay taxes and Withdraw beer
ard to induce the drugssts 10 pur-
chase tax-paid be II for medicinal pur-
poses. Under the law TIL TAX cannot
be refunded. The act alSC limits the
activities Of the few physicians who
were issuing prescription; Far liquor to
people not actually requi,i1g it, and it
strengthens the hands OF the depart
rlent in dealing with the alleged med
'cinal preparations on the open market
which have been used Ger beverage
purposes.
No embarrassment III the enforce
nent OF prohibition is anticipated from
tile provision imposing penal liability
upon officers searching dwellings, with
cat warrants and searching Jther prop
efty without warrants mai Ciously and
without reasonable cause Fair notice
- given to the officers Chat thew must
not search dwellings without warrants
'ud no attempts to do Sc viii be made.
" Will be very rare c'ee indeed in
which under the act All uf1Ce- can be
prosecuted on account OF tic search OF
other property.
IT therefore appear. G'1t so long
as prohibition officer hl. reasonable
ground for suspecting ,'g.ation Of
RE Prohibition act he c,rrol be pun
'hed for searching propc,'l other than
dwelling without wanort No sub
s'antial decrease in the activities Of
ffohIotion officers is anticipated as the
rsult OF the new act, and ! a.n entirely
c1ntident that Federal district At
t-fneys and the Deparhnc,; II Justice
a;e not going to instiiui" PROCEEDINGS
against officers, except il ~. case Of
"ilful and wanton sr,r /, ~ an Of.
fer without reasonab' Cr..nds for
ding So"
The bill in additioe T., outlauinr
redical beer, provides ,h,i rot more
than one-fourth gallon e vircus
LIQUOR, or vinous or sp,,il4o.s liouors
SEPARATELY, or in the assfcsate cor
tanning more than orc-h,lf pint oe
alcohol, may be prescribed il 10 DAYS
that physicians shall be Ia.'.d to 100
prescriptions for such iiJuor i 90 :ay,
unless extraordinary ,r,.pn is 2-r.
s:9ted; that importatnn o. .piritu3,.,
o: vinous liquor is pehi,ni'I Until r..
amount on hand shall nri T." sufficient
to supply the current r,,.I or non
eyerage uses; that prv,i. l.sidence.
may not be searched viii n.t i scared,
grant and that the coui. 81 Hawaii
AID the Virgin Islands az gwen iuris-
c:Stion 10 enforce the N,t:Jr.. Prohibi-
tim act.