The New York herald., 1921-01-29
PATENT MEDICINES HIT

Revenue Men Begin Roundup
of Intoxicants-More Pay
Asked for Agents.
Special Despatch to THE NEW York HrsALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c.. Jan. 28.
New and severe regulations to prevent
fraudulent Withdrawals Of whiskey or
other spirits from warehouses have been
issued by the Internal Revenue Bureau
of the Treasury. Coincident with the is
Euance Of these regulations designed to
through forged permits and other deyl-
Gus methods, the prohibition enforce
ment offices started drive against sew.
erteen tonics bitters and extracts TO
force them off the market.
While the revenue bureau was press
ing these activities Wayne B. Wheeler.
legislative agent of the Anti-Saloon
League OF America, was appearing be-
lore the Senate Appropriations Commit
tee I'm an argument for additional funds
for dry law enforcement.
The new withdrawal regulations issued
by the Treasury are direct result of
recent New York frauds In which q
number of arrests were made. Under
them every permit must be sent to a
prohibition director for approval and
vise and must be handled only through
registered mail. Telegraphed permits.
nc matter how circumstantial as to
license numbers, quantities or other
data. cannot be honored at any ware
house.
Drive ON Patent Medicines.
AS the first move in a general campaign
to haul in permits to manufacture various
patented products which are ostensfbly
for favoring or medicinal purposes, the
prohibition unit is examining many of the
products now on the market to deter
mine whether they are in conformity
with the licenses and permits outstand-
ing. Crusades are to be undertaken In
every city, with the aid of local police
wherever possible, to drive off those rot
so made as to render them unfit for
beverage use.
The first test with all OF them was a
field investigation to determine where
and in what quantities they were sold.
IT was discovered some were sold for
which is an open violation Of the Vol
stead act. All dealers who sell for bev-
erage use are to be arrested for viola
ton. 1t is possible that drinkers Of these
products may be taken for violation Of
the act for imbibing in public.
Following this field work and in direct
line with it, the bureau Is examining
hundreds OF samples daily to discover
the manufacturers not living up to the
formulas approved by the bureau, on
which they were licensed to manufac-
ture. Proceedings will not be taken
against those who have the goods on
their shelves and are selling them in
good faith. Such goods are subject to
conhscation under the law, however, and
may be taken by the prohibition en-
forcement officers just as illicit whiskey
and other spirits are seized.
Test of New Regulations.
The new regulations governing per-
mits provide:
Hereafter proprietors OF a dis
tillery bonded warehouse, general
bonded warehouse. special bonded
warehouse, bonded winery or bonded
storeroom or customs officers will not
ship or deliver any intoxicating
liquor without first communicating
II
purportlng to have approved the per-
NIT to purchase and, receiving con-
firmation OF the authenticity of the
permit. to purchase from the director.
Such communication to the director
shall in every case be by registered
letter on the letterhead of the con-
cern asking for the confirmation. and
must show the permit number date.
name Of permittee and kind and
quantity OF liquor covered by the
permit TO purchase, provided. how
ever. that when request for confrma-
tion is made by customs officer the
letter need not be registered.
The person sending such regis
tered letter must In every case ask
for the return receipt on post Office
form 3S11, which said receipt will
not be the confirmation required
hereunder Confirmation by the di-
rector must be in writing and sent
by registered letter, with demand for
return receipt. The person request
ing such confirmation must keep on
file (a) permit to purchase. form
1410, (b) copy Of registered letter
addressed to director, (c) return re-
ceipt on post Office form 3811 and
(d) confirmation from the director,
which file shall be open to inspection
of Government officers. Such evil
dence of authenticity will not be re-
quired as TO shipments Of untaxpaid
distilled spirits or wines in bond from
one bonded premises or warehouse to
another.
Failure 20 comply with the pro-
visions OF this regulation will be
deemed sufficient grounds, In the dis
erection of the Commissioner, for rev.
ocation OF permit
Asks More Pay for Agents.
In his argument before the Senate
committee Mr.. Wheeler said:
'"The House appropriated s7.110,000
for prohibition enfor cement. The drys
ask s400. 900 more. the full amount re-
guessed by the Federal enforcement de-
partment. This Is needed in order to care
for the present force. The field agents
who rather the evidence should be better
paid. They cannot be unless the APP
prop-lation Is increased. They are In
a dangerous and diHicnlt field OF work.
"Fcwcr than one-half per cent. OF the
men under arms In the late war lost
their lives. a larger per cent. of the
men who do the field work IN gathering
this evidence have been killed. Thcir
work is made more dangerous by the
wet propaganda now in circulation TO en-
courage Iawbreakers. These men enter
tas ssrv.ce az 1880 year They have
ex.rn expenses TO meet. They carnot
live comfortably on this wage. The
Government has no right to ask them 20
work for this salary, knowing tie
dnrrers and temptation to graft that