The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-04-27
ALERT VOLSTEAD
AGAINST BEER
Bill Introduced for Strict Prohibi.
tion-Would Stop Doctors.

Washington, April 26.-As the
first step of the fight in congress to
tighten, up the Volstead prohibition
enforcement law, a bill designed to
prohibit the sale of beer to the sick
on a doctors prescription was intro
duced in the house today by Chair
man Volstead Of the judiciary COM
mittee.
The measure would not prohibit
use of wine for medical purposes,
but would make more specific and
stringent the regulation on this sub
ject.
Declaring there was no real neces-
sity for beer as a medicine, Mr.. Vol
stead annouHced that his bill, de-
seribed as supplemental to the ma
tional prohibition act, was put for
ward at this time to meet the situa-
ton created by the opinion of form
er Attorney General Palmer that
beer and wine, under the Volstead
act, could be prescribed for the all
ing.
In the tentative regulations an
nounced last week by Prohibition
Commissioned Kramer, which must
wait approval by David H. Blair, the
new commissioner Of internal reYe-
nue., an arbitrary limit of 4 7-S gal
Ions of beer and three gallons of
wine was fixed as the maximum that
might be prescribed by a physician
at one time. Mr.. Palmer had ruled
that the law fixed no limit.
Regardless of what Commissioner
Blair may rule, Mr.. Volstead indi-
Gated that the prohibition = forces
in the house were prepared to take
the beer bill by the horns and let the
world know that there will be no
beer. The bill will be referred to
Mr.. Volstead's committee for hear
ing and report. Members opposed to
any modification Of the dry law,
said tonight it probably would be re-
ported to the house substantially as
drawn. There were predictions from
many dry quarters that its passage
was certain.
' After counting noses on the COM
, mittee Mr.. Volstead is strongly Of
the opinion, he said, that there will
be no turn back on the question Of
prohibition, even in the face Of a
cry from many sections that con-
gress give the proposed beer regu-
lations for the sick tryout.
After turning thumbs down on
beer and putting extra safeguards
around the medical use Of wine,
home made or imported, the new Vol
stead bill, would close the gates to
importation of liquor and shut down
distilleries until the present stock Of
about 100000 gallons in bonded
warehouses had been exhausted. Mr..
Volstead declared there was no
sense in allowing large quantities to
be imported or manufactured while
there was 50 much on hand. =
The bill also would impose certain
additional restrictions on the manu-
facture of alcoholic preparations,
"masquerading" as medicine and
t~onics, which prohibition leaders as
sert are drinkable. In support of This
provision, Mr.. Volstead said the
bootleg trade was being supplied
through withdrawals ostensibly for
manufacture Of these products.
Still another frightening section
would meet the demand from some
quarters that the attorney general
should have a more direct share in
the enforcement of the law. As ex-
planned by Mr.. Volstead, it requires
that the attorney general shall have
notice Of all applications for per-
mits to sell or manufacture liquor
or alcoholic medicinal preparations
and that public notice of the appli-
cation shall be posted 50 that the at
torney general Or any person who
may have knowledge of any viola
ton the part of the applicant may
object to the permit being granted. :
PERMITS at present, the judiciary