The New York herald., 1921-07-16
new RULES ON BEER
TO DILUTE THE KICK
Brewers and Stockholders Will
Be Accountable for Too
High a Percentage.
Special Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washingfan. ID. C.. July Is.

Special Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c., July 15.
Brewers are to be held strictly ac-
countable for all the acts of their en-
ployees. as a means of checking the flow
of beer having an unlawful alcoholic
percentage. Prohibition Commissioner
Haynes has decided. Commissioner
Haynes's order, to be made effective
within few days. through newly
framed regulations now being prepared,
reverses the stand taken by Commits
sioner Kramer and Internal Revenue
Commissioner Williams.
Commissioner Haynes said brewers In
many parts of the country are deliberate
ly violating the law and risking forfeiture
Of their licenses by manufacturing ana
selling beer greatly in excess or one-haH
of per cent. alcoholic content MT.
Haynes referred to the large number OF
breweries previously cited for VIOLATIONS
who were able to escape the penalties
that the law provides by pleading lack
Oh Responsibility anu PidSihb
infractions of the law upon careless
agents or other employees.
"The rules of law will be made TO
apply to the brewers to stop this pro-
miscuous selling of beer that falls
within the class of alcoholic liquors.
Commissioner Haynes said. Brewers,
under rules soon to be issued, will be
held primarily responsible for the acts
of their agents. Stockholders of brew
cry corporations will not be allowed to
plead Ignorance OF the acts OF their
agents. If brewmaster, either through
carelessness or wilful disregard of the
law, fails to conform to the law and
the regulations, the stockholders or
that concern employing him probably
will see the license of their concern re-
voked.
1--WE do not purpose to allow camou-
flage in this matter, and those who are
financially interested in breweries must
be sufficiently interested in their con-
Germs to assure themselves that the
plants are being run in conformity with
law"
BY the new regulations. now pracu-
cally ready for the signature OF Secre-
tary Mellon and Commissioner Blair.
the new Prohibition Commissioner COM
| pletely overturns the practice OF his
predecessors. Just before he came into
| office about twenty-five breweries,
| most of them located in Pennsylvania
were allowed to resume operations after
being cited for violations. After hear
| ings officials allowed the offending
concerns to pay fixed assessments and
| to reopen their plants, with the under
standing that new adjustments In the
personnel of the plants might minimize
| the dangers of additional violations.
| 1t is now the plan OF Commissioner
| Haynes, as soon as the regulations are
| made effective, to conduct clean up
| of the breweries by detailing trained
| men from his mobile force Of operatives
| to inspect the breweries and their meth
| ods of manufacture and distribution
| Special agents will be stationed In
number of cities where complaints have
! originated that beer higher than one
half of one per cent. is being sold openly
| In beer and soft drink saloons.
Commissioner Haynes's decision to
| keep a better watch on the breweries.
| and more rigidly supervise their output
| and sales was reached following a con-
| ference with State Director Mcconnell
| of Pennsylvania. Director Mcconnell.
| finishing two weeks investigation of
| the brewery situation In Pennsylvania.
| recommended a tightening of the regu-
lations and for special details of oper-
atives from the headquarters forces to
| aid in a sweeping investigation. Most
| of the breweries now running under
Federal licenses are located in Penn
| sylvania-