The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-03-07
LIQUOR QUESTION
AGAIN D|STURBS
FURTHER . RESTRICTION FOR
DISTRIBUTION. PLANS NOW
DRAWN UP-REGULATIONS
CONTEMPLATE ELIMINATION
OF WHOLESALE DEALER
FOREIGN QUESTION ENTERS

Washington, March 6.-Regula'
TOMS further restricting the distri'
button of liquor-now confined tc
manufacturers and wholesale drug
gists-have been drawn up ano
await the approval of the new ad'
ministration.
The regulations as drafted by
prohibition officials would limit
manufacturers to sale of their owl
products and forbid them to dispose
of other manufacturers containing
alcohol. Such step in the opinion
of prohibition officials would great.
ly restrict the sale of intoxicants
and by cutting off the slight latitude
now allowed manufacturers, coupled
with the elimination of the wholesale
liquor dealer, would practically
limit the distribution of liquor to
wholesale druggists.
Protests against the total elimina.
tion of the wholesale liquor dealers
however, have been received by the
treasury from representatives of the
Catholic, Episcopal and Lutheran
determinations. These denominations
have been accustomed, spokesmen
for the churchmen have explained,
to purchase the wines used for sac
ramental purposes from certain
dealers who provided them with
wine of a standard quality.
Churchmen Protest
With the elimination. of the deal
ers, churchmen declared their source
of supply has been cut off. AS a
remedy thep rohibition authorities
have been >asked to permit reputable
dealers who have been in business
more than three years to. continue
the distribution of sacremental
wines as an exception to the general
regulations now in force. Early this
week-s hearing on the matter is to
be held by the internal revenue bu-
reau.
Disposition of the question Of
whether beer may be prescribed for
medical purposes by physicians, pro-
hibition officials said, also will come
up for early consideration by the
new administration. An opinion is
understood to have been prepared
for the treasury by the department
of justice which would permit the
use of malt liquors for medical pur-
poses similarly with wine or vinuous
liquors as contrasted with the re-
strictions of the prohibition act on
whiskey. Use of beer is opposed,
however, the prohibition enforce
ment authorities maintained that by
permitting manufacture for medical
purposes the already perplexing
problem of handling the breweries
would be made more difficult.
The attitude of the new admins
tration towards the breweries is
awaited with interest by their pres
ent enforcement officials in view of
the steady campaign Commissioner
Kramer has been waging IN various
sections of the country against beer
containing more than the legal
amount of alcohol and the numerous
seizures of property which have
beensmade by the government in
the past few months.
Foreign Question Enters
Another question for the new
heads of the department to decide is
the matter of trans-shipment of
liquor via this country when shipped
from one foreign country to anoth-
er.(On the protest of the British en-
bassy the opinion rendered by the
department of justice holding trans
shipments of liquor illegal and YES
sells touching at American ports
with liquor aboard to be violators
of the prohibition laws has been re-
turned for review. Meanwhile, both
questions remain in statu quo.
In connection with the shipping
angle to the prohibition, some pro-
hibition officials have suggested the
possibility of a new policy regarding
!liquor on American ships. Under the
present law as defined. by the de-