Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-26
BILL To PROHIBIT DOCTORS
 FROM PREscRIBING BEER

J
 Washington, April 25.-A bill prohibit ing doctors from prescribing beer as medicine was introduced today by Chair man Volstead of the house judiciary com mittee
 The measure. designed toe tighten up the Vpistead law in view of an opinion by Attorney General Palmer, would not pro- hibit use of wine as medicine, but re- enact in more specific language the in junction that such prescription must be limited to actual needs for medicinal use
 Another provision would direct the pro- hibition commissioner to hold down the importa ton and manufacture sf liquor to actual requirements of the people for non-beverage use and permit the import ation and manufacture to supply current needs after the present liquor supply in the United States has been exhausted. Chairman Volstead declared in a state ment that the principal object of his bill was to meet the situation created by the opinien of Attorney General Palmer in regard to the use of beer and wine for medicine.
 That opinion, in effect holds" he said, that the commissioner of internal reve- nue has no power to limit the quantity of such liquors when prescribed. though the law expressly provides that the com missioner shall limit all permits. The bill prohibits doctors from pre- scribing beer It is idle to argue that there is any real necessity for beer as medicine. Leading doctors everywhere 1 deny that it has any value for that pur- pose, besides, everything in beer except | the alcohol can be had in the so-caAed near-beers without any prescription. Thirty-eight states prohibit beer from being prescribed.
 "The measure does not prohibit the use of wine but it re-enacts in mere specific language, if that is possible, the injunction that such prescriptions mus l be limited to the actual needs for med ical use.'
 Concerning the provision directing the commissioner to hold down importation l and manufacture of liquor whiei ther' is stock on hand. MT. Yolstead said:
 There is no sense in Allowing larg quantities of liquor to be imported ol manufactured that if used at all must b disposed of for illegal purposes. Ther' 1 are about 0000Ooo gallons now fl I bonded warehouses. a supply largely il excess of what can be legitimately used for several years'
 In tentative regulations announced las week by Prohibition Commissioner Kram
 
 David II. Blair the new commissioner 0 l internal revenue, an arbitrary limit O 73S gallons of beer and three gallon. of wine was fixed as the maximum tha \ might be prescribed by physician a any time. Mr. Palmer had ruled tha the law fixed no limit.
 Regardless of what Commissions Blair may rule. Mir. Volstead indicate, that the prohibition forces in the hous were prepared to take the beer bill b I the horns and let the world know tha T there will be no beer. The bill will b II referred tex Mir. NoIsSeadss committee fo hearing and report Members oppose, to any modification of the dry lad sai tonight 1t probably would be reported t Ethe house, substantially as drawn. Ther
 were predictions from many dry quar- CTS that it's passage was certain. Mir. Volstead is strongly of the opinio he said, that there will be no turnbac on the question of prohibition, even i } the face of a, cry from many section that congress give the proposed beer res ulations for tine sick tryout 3 After turning thumbs down en beer an ? putting extra safeguord around tn 5 medical use of wine, home made or irr ported, the new Volstead bill would clos the, gates to importation of liquor an shut down distilieries until the @preser stock of about 49,e00,000 gallons now i
 bonded warehouses had been exhauste, 1 Mir. Vlostead declared there was no sens
 in allowing large quantities to be in ! ported or manufactured while there wa so much on hand.
 Still another tightening up sectio : would meet the demand from son D quarters that the attorney gener;
 should have a more direct share in Il ; enforcement of the law As explained h U 1 MT. Volstead, it requires that the a T | torney general shall fave notice of a applications for permits to sell or man,
 facture liquor or alcoholic medicin
 preparations, and that public notice
 the application shall be posted so tn. the attorney general or any person wi
 may have knowledge of any violations ( . the part of the applicant may obje ' to this permit being granted. Permits at present, the judiciary con - nittee chairman said. are granted wit l. out, any notice to the attorney genera ,- and he has no opportunity to object l. their issuance. The bill would give t Il attorney general power to cancel permi IS for the same reason that the commissio | 1f ivfa l.