The New York herald., 1921-03-15
CAPITAL EXPECTS
DAUGHERTY'S
ON BEER DECISION
Treasury Goes Ahead With
Regulations to Govern
It's Distribution.
yOLSTEAD ACT STANDS
Think Wet, but Vote Dry,
Appears to Be Attitude OF
New Congress.
yOLSTEAD ACT STANDS
Special Despatch to THE New York IIExALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
WaAhinRfnn. ID. C.. March II.

groups here to-day with the receipt
or strong intimation that Attorney
General Daugherty is minded to up
hold the beer ruling with which At
torney- General Palmer bowed himself
out OF office
Coincidentally there was consterna-
tion and anger in the red brick citadel
OF the Anti-Saloon League, which
nestles almost in the shadow of the
Capitol, as If to keep a wary eye on
the enemy In Congress.
The "old stuff" with "body" will be
obtainable by the bottle, the gallon
and the case If the Palmer dictum
stands up, and there is every indica-
ton now that it will stand up. It's
about the only relief anywhere in
sight for the vets SO far as the new
Congress is concerned. but for this re-
lief they give thanks to Gambrinus
and the VoIstead law itself. for ap-
parently the Palmer decision to be up
held by Daugherty is based squarely
upon the law, and lawyers say that 10
well nigh impregnable.
No Change in Basic Law.
The wild hopes of the vets and rosy
dreams OF the whole liquor making,
liquor selling crowd are based on mis-
conception OF the makeup and trend of
the new Congress, and there is no more
hope OF an amelioration of the general
severity Of the volstead act by the new
Congress than there was Of a faceabout
by the old one.
Beer arrives again through something
like an accident, described as prouden-
tial by the vets and branded as utterly
devilish by the drys but beer on
physicians prescription. for tonic use, IS
about the only liberalization of prohibit
ton that anybody familiar with the sit
uation expects.
Approval of the Palmer ruling that
physicians have right to strengthen
patients by prescribing real beer will
play hob as 1t Is and tanglc UP the Fed
eral authorities with the State officials
In many States. but that is as far as lib
eralization Is likely to go.
more arid than the body which went
out of existence on March T. or the
hundred odd new members. whose booze
views have not be obtained individually.
enough is known to indicate that old
John Barleycorn need not come rapping
al their door. II is a funny situation.
FOR In the new House OF Representa-
lives, as in the old. will be any number
OF exponents OF the Eighteenth Amend
ment and volstead act who would take
a drink of another mans hip any time
the invitation came to them. and not
few who voted for prohibition took the
precaution to stock their cellars. But
as for coming right out in public and
voting according 10 their real convfc-
tions-nothing doing.
Oven in Philadelphia there is a liberal
minded minister of the Gospel, Or. Rus
sell H. Conwell. pastor of the Grace Bap-
tist Temple, who has been sounding
members of the new Congress regarding
their attitude on beer and light wines
He got exactly III replies from the NJ
C.'s. and out of the III there were exact
ly 10 who wrote that they were In favor
OF loosening up prohibition TO let In beer
and light wines. That proportion OF IA
vorable replies might seem to indicate
that Congress had a change OF heart and
w
volstead act. As matter OF fact, ac-
cording to Senators and Representatives
who know the game, such an assumption
would be a dciuslon and snare. Men,
bers OF Congress may write TO thus ana
30. expressing their private opinion that
enforcement liz too strict and that the
health OF the nation requires a reason
able amount OF malt extract or claret.
but when II comes to standing on the
floor under the baleful eye of the Anti
Saloon League spoilers and voting aye
that Is something else again.
VIII Give II Thorough Trial.
Ii IL pretty generally believed here that
!f Congress could be persuaded to vote as
II actually feels there would be lot OF
iiberaiIzing and the Volstead act would
be shot full OF holes. but nobody believes
This miracle is likely to happen--at least
not for the next two years.
While there Is a feeling among great
many Representatives that prohibition
does not prohibit. and that II has opened
tho door to an amazing lot or theft,
blaclSmail and betrayal OF trust general
ly. and that prohibition enforcement
methods have not contributed to respect
for law, nevertheless there seems to be
urstty general disposition to give enforce
ment thorough trial. to walt a year or
two before attempting to reform the
present admittedly disagreeable situa-
tion.
On the whole the Palmer beer ruling
has met with favorable reaction in
Congress-, the belief being that the per-
mission to manufacture real beer and to
dispense II under physicians prescrip-
tions wifi 20 a long way toward quiet
ing resentment against enforcement
good many Representatives say quietly
that men who really like beer and who
need or think they need a tonic Will quit
paying si5 or $40 quart for third rail-
whlskey with ether In II II they can get
little malt Juice now and then.
The belief that Attorney-General
Daugherty will approve the Palmer rul-
ing is enforced by the fact that reguln-
tions for the dispensing of real beer by
prescription are being prepared by the
prohibition bureau Of the Treasury. This
constitutes a big problem. In cities that
posseas hreweries. especially small or
moderately sized cities. Il is n simple
matter 20 have the beer delivered from
brewery 10 home by the case. In large
cities or In communities that lack brew
cries there may have TO be an authori-
~ stion OF brewers agents, persons au.
thorized 10 receive bottled beer by the
carload and dispense Il on prescription.
Tho talk is now that the regulnt tions
may permit a case week for limited
period. There is disposition TO Insist
that nhy siclans must not have too many
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