The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-02-04
PROHIBITION ORDER
CLOSES WAREHOUSES
Ban of Indefinite Period Placed on
Withdrawal of Liquor in Every
State in Union-Wholesale
Dealers Ruled Out

I Washington, Feb. 3.-Doors of dis
til.eries and bonded warehouses in
every state in the union, Hawaii and
Puerto Rico were ordered Indefinitely
closed against liqour Withdrawals to-
day by Prohibition Commissioner
Kramer. At the same time wholesale
liquor dealers were ruled out of fur
ther participation in the sale of in
toxicating beverages by Attorney
General Palmer.
Commissioner Kramer's drastic or
der stopping the flow of liquor from
storage and the attorney generals
Interpretation of the Volstead act.
prohibition officials said, mean the
elimination. of the wholesale, liquor
dealers and make possible the pre-
vention of "bootlegging" through
forged permits and illegal disposal of
intoxicants.
Stoppage of liquor Withdrawals all
over the country and in two of the
territories was an extension of the
order issued last week putting"a ban
on removals in New York, Pennsyl-
vania, Maryland, Massachusetts,, Con-
necticut, Rhode Island and New Jer-
sey. The order does not apply to
Withdrawals of industrial alcohol or
reasonable quantities of sacramental
wine, and makes an exception in the
case of retail druggists, who are per-
mitted to make Withdrawals up to
five cases of liquor at time.
Warning against attempts to Oh
tain whiskey despite the nationwide
ban was sent out by Commissioner
Kramer, who directed all owners of
distilleries and warehouses not to
honor permits for whiskey withdraw
ais "purporting to be issued by any
state directors irrespective of the
date such permit is issued or approv-
ed by the director" No such applica-
tions are being approved, he said, adj
ding that failure to comply with the
notice would deprive owners of their
license to hold their stock still in
storage.
Mr.. Palmer's opinion was made
public by Internal Revenue Commits
sioner Williams and was said by rev.
enue bureau officials to constitute the
authority upon which the sweeping
closing orders were issued.
Wholesale liquor dealers, the at
torney general held, are entitled to
dispose of their warehouse receipts
for liquor stored in bonded ware
houses to manufacturers and whole
sale druggists "but the right to with
draw said liquors from bonded ware
houses is granted to manufacturers
and wholesale druggists only"
On the question of the authority OF
the prohib ton commissioner to issue
>erm is to sell liquor in wholesale
quantities the attorney general hello
..... power was limited to manufac-
5urers and wholesale druggists.
With respect to industrial alcohol,
Mr.. Palmer held the authority to
issue permits for its disposal in
wholesale quantities was limited to
manufacturers and wholesale drug
gists if the alcohol was fit for bever-
age purposes but not if it were de-
aatured.
"It is obvious" the attorney gen.
eral declared, "that the concentration
of the liquor business in the hands
of few people is we'll calculated to
render more simple and effective the
restraining. of the business within
proper and legal channels"
Liquor now in commercial ware
houses, however, prohibition officials
explained, is exempt from the attor.
ney generals ruling and Commission
er Kramer's ban since such liquor is
considered to be in the possession OF
the owner.
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