Evening star., 1921-10-29
plan TO SPEEDUP
ANT|-BEER MEASURE
Conference Held Over Tech
nica|ities Which Might
Block New Regulations.

While the Treasury Department
was planning today to announce soon
a definite policy for making available
imm ediately medicinal beer to the
sick. supporters of the anti-beer bill
in the Senate today laid plans to get
speedy action on the conference re-
port on that measure as soon as the
tax revision bill has been disposed Of
A conference was held today be-
tween Commissioner Blair and So
licitor Mapes of the internal revenue
bureau over technicalities in the new
regulations which might tend to de-
lay actual operation of the beer regu-
latlonS. Commissioner Blair and
Secretary Mellon. it is understood,
are to take up the possibility OF, maxi
ing Immediately available for sale
beer for medicinal purposes
Sterling Circulates Petition.
Senator sterling. in charge of the
anti-beer bill, is circulating a petit
ton for the invocation of cloture in
accordance with Senate rules, and has
secured more than thirty signatures,
only sixteen being necessary.
Senator Sterling said that he would
first ask unanimous consent for fixing
day on which to vote on the anti
beer bill conference report. If that is
not granted he will Immediately offer
obtain many more signatures to it in
the meantime.
25 Opposing Votes Recorded.
The greatest number of votes at any
time recorded against the anti beer
Dill in the Senate is twenty-five. in
GUIDING those senators who actually
voted and those who were paired
against the measure. This is less than
one-third of the Senate. indicating
n 4 hn
desire, can force cloture.
There is opposition to the adoption
90 the cloture rule on the part of a
NUMBER OF senators who do not be-
lleve in cutting OFF debate, some of
them supporters of the anti-beer bill,
but 1t is not believed that this senti-
ment Will prevent the adoption of
cloture if it comes to a showdown. In
the past the cloture rule has been
used as a club to force agreement for
vote and its actual use has been
avoided.
Awaiting Tax Bill.
The anti-beer bill, in any event, will
not come up in the Senate until next
week, all depending upon the date of
the passage of the pending tax re-
vision bill. This may be delayed sew
eral days.
That the anti-beer bill will pass Is
freely admitted by all parties con-
cerned.
1t has been suggested by Prohibit
ton Commissioner Haynes that the
matter of allowing brewers to dis
pose of beer manufactured prior to
the issuance of the regulations, but
which has not been dealcoholized,
might be the subject of conference
with Treasury officials to determine
whether stocks on hand in brewers
warehouses could be made available
or whether only beer manufactured
after the issuance of the regulations
could be distributed on permit to the
sick.
Should Avoid Red Tape.
The Treasury Department takes the
position. it was said by officials, that
the permits since former ATTORNEY
General Palmer made his decision on
beer on March the government
should interpret it's rules broadly and
avoid any red-tape procedure which
might interfere with the brewers
activities under the new rules. This
is taken to mean that the Treasury
feels 1t must facilitate issuance of
beer permits and must allow sale of
stocks now on hand which have not
yet been dealcoholized, as brewers
have complained they would lose
much money if the stocks of real beer
could not be sold Immediately on per-
NIT. AS matter of fact, officials said
the brewers were entitled under the
law to manufacture medical beer
from the time Mr.. Palmer's opinion
was rendered without awaiting Treas
ury regulations. but had shown a dis
position, in most cases. to conform to
government regulations.