Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-03-07
Home E:c,v AGAIN

Home E:cv again
rT'HOSE folks who had felt secure in their
privilege. if not their absolute and in
contestible lcga! right TO make a gallon
or so OF wine and = measure Of beer of an
indcterminate alcoholic content, were given
distinct shock by the recent publication
OF ruling said to have been issued by the
Internal Revenue Bureau for the assess
ment OF a fine of $1,000 against Detroit
citizen confessing TO the manufacture OF a
re" bottles Of contraband beer
For most OF the year OF prohibition
through which the country has passed there
mad been almost no agitation on the part
OF the Federal government against the
home-brewer. There had been official aud
aemioac!ai and unofficial assurances from
The enforcement headquarters in Washing
ton TO the effect that no Federal agent was
authorized 10 invade the castle OF the home
brewer or to interfere in any fashion with
those who had learned 10 mix a little sugar
WIN a little water and pound or two OF
faisins, or had squeezed the Juice from
basket OF grapes or has thrown together
malt and hops, then stood aside 10 allow
nature 10 take its course
AS 4 result of these assurances literally
hundreds OF thousands of law-ab!ding citi-
zen5 have acquired the art of making NOT
able and paatnble beverages not one of
which. IL may be assumed. ever stoppc,l 10
determine tho aicoho!!c content OF the wine
or beer. So long as there was even Il mild
KICK IN the product neither the producer
nor the consumer cared very much whether
'here was one-half of ! per cent or 10 per
cent OF alcohol III the drak. But about tina
time th!s supposedly innocent occupation
had become matter Of routine in count
JOSS American homes, the newspapers all
printed the disqrictiHg news from Detroit
mat the government was proceeding relent-
ieSsly against one victim who was caught
with the goods II is no wonder. OF course
ta' there has been much mental disturb
-hce over The circumstance a disturbance
"hIch VIII not abate until there is some
erect ana unegTivocal declaration on the
part OF the government as to the law or
I"ii"s under the iaw. or an adminstra-
tive policy under tho law respecting the
regal right 10 make wine and beer at home.
II goes without saying that the home
brewer who makes wine and beer and then
franc In ii is a yiOlator OF the law Ii goes
without saying that the man who engages
IN the distillation OF highly spirituous
liquors, even in his home is Il violator OF
the Law. But il is by no means clear
whether or not the law prohibits the fer
fn"n,ation OF grape juice or the brewing
oi malt liquor in the home for purely
personal consumption
certain 1t is that tens OF thousands of
people have assumed from the repeated re-
ports proceeding from Washington that
there is no legal barrier to the manufac-
lure or such beverages and these people
nave quietly but systematically begun the
production OF such beverages as they NAV
nave the ingredients TO make If this ic a
crime under the terms OF the Volstead act.
the TACT ought To be proclaimed II il is
privileged under the Volstcad act that far,
should be proclaimed
The government ough, not 10 b. mn, in
me attitude OF winhing at violation Of
me law even though il is without proncr
| means OF apprchcnding or punshiug tho ar
| renders" No doubt should he Iau as -
| what is prohibited and what is allowed
| Coolidge Spurns Auto" says I'D head.
| hne writer. Let him have his own wav hu,
| u ne persists III going about afoot II were
| vel that he beware lest a shiny and soar,
| iul auto spurn him
Mans suffering aids him to SO, nm .
| perfectly good aibi in PENNSYLVANIA II
| other words. divided syllables save hin, =,
| undivided scntcuce