The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1921-05-14
ADVOCATE AIR
TIGHT STATUTE
PREP tTIONS MADE no BURY
JOHN BARI EYCORN,

of The days when the drys We're bat
Ting to bury John Barleycorn were
re-enacted today before the house ju.
dietary committee. except that few
friends of Johns family appeared to
protest against Chairman Volstead :
plan To cut Off even for medical pur
poses, the heritage Of beer
Plenty of drys were on hand and
DR.. j. r. DAWN. of New York. who
pleaded for the use of beer as medi-
cine, was given none too cordial
treatment. In fact, he was roughly
handled by Volstead, who challenged
the physicians ability TO explain
anything" and on another occasion
declared the witness was using "a
conglOmeration of words that mean
nothing"
Outstanding in the testimony was
the statement by Oliver T. Rem
mers, counsel for the Anheuser-
Busch company, of St. Louis, that
the firms policy was beer for all
or beer for none" He requested an
investigation of "favoritism and fail
ure' in the dry law enforcement and
declared that the firm stood four
square for law enforcement, al
though unalterably opposed 10 prohi-
bition.
Dry leaders said there were many
leaks in the stocks Of liquors and
urged the committee 10 make the
Volstead law air tight. DR.. DAWN,
however, resented the move by Mr.
Volstead to dictate TO physicians
what they shall or shall not pre-
scribe, and urged the committee to
await consideration of the bill by the
American Medical association next
month.
Mr.. Volstead sought to establish
why it was not possible for physi-
clans TO make medical beer by using
beverages and alcohol He asked DR..
DAWN several questions along this
line, none of which apparently was
answered to the satisfaction of the
blurted: Look here, you're trying to
evade every question [ ask. Tell us
what you know, if you know so
much"
Mr.. Volstead soughtshrdluetaoi
The witness again attempted an
explanation, but was interrupted by
Mr.. VOlstead, who inquired why GER
cal beverages were not as good for
the invalid as beer with a kick.
"Ah, that's the point" replied the
witness. Near beer is just like near
craftsmanship. 1t can't accomplish
anything noticeable
i don't think you know what you
are talking about" returned the
chairman, nor do | think your in
suits will get far with the commit
tee."
Several committee members evinc-
ed interest in the kind of diseases for
which the witness said he would pre-.
scribe beer. Most of them, however,
were said by the witness to yield
slowly to curative treatments. Some
were durable only in eXceptionable
cases, he added.
E. V. Claypool, superintendent OF
the Rhode Island Anti-Saloon league
declared that the Volstead law was
unpopular in his state.
Asked if the law was being enforc-
ed as well there as in other sections
he answered:
Eyes, the draft act also was en-.
| forced throughout the United States
but, nevertheless, Bergdoll is in Ger.
many and Edsel Ford did not CO."
| Officials of the American Drus
Manufacturers association were be
fore the committee to discuss techni
cal provisions of the bill. The asso
citation was represented by spokes
men as fayoring the prohibition oil
beer, but as objecting to some of the
provisions appertaining to their line.
of industry.
Several expressed fear that if the
prescribing of beer was permitted
drug establishments would become
transferred into mere dispenseres O
beer and that the change would low
er the ethical standard of the bust
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