The New York herald., 1921-06-16
HAYNES AND BLAIR
CLASH OVER BEER
Revenue Head Insists Early
Issuing of Regulations Is
obligatory.
special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HEsA'-p
New York Herald Bureau.
washington. d. c., June ID.

sp,cial Despafch to THE NEW YORK HEsA-p
New York Herald Bureau.
washington. d. c., June 10.
Congress and the prohibition enforce
ment agencies Of the Government are ia
a turmoil Of uncertainty over beer and
whisFey for the ailing.
A sharp conflict of opinion mas oe-
veloped between Prohibition Commis-
sioner HAYNES and his superiors In the
Treasury Department over the question
Of issuing Immediately the regulations
allowing the prescription Of beer and re-
moving the limit on physicians in allow
ing patients to have spirituous liquors.
Mr.. HAYNES maintains these reguia-
tions should be withheld until Congress
decides the fate of the Volstead suppie-
mental prohibition bill. which absolutely
nrohibits the prescription OF beer ana
limits the number Of prescriptions. Kew
enue Commissioner Blair, II was learned
takes the position 1t is mandatory lot
department to promulgate rulings VI .ne
Attorney General. and II IN one 1enSe
olates the law when 1t falls 10 40 30.
Wayne b. Wheeler. counsel for the
Anti-Saloon League, recently adnitteo
before the House Rules Committee tnat
the Prohibition Commissioner legaiiy
cou,d not withhold the rulings mucn
longer and stated that certain brewers
are planning suits to force the issuance
of the regulations
Meanwhile in Congress the drys nave
split over the advisability OF rushfns
through the volstead amendments 70
knock out the Palmer rulings. Drys on
the rules committee are willing TO give
60
hi,i nrohibiting the beer prescriptions.
hut saw there Is some doubt as to the ad-
,,isas,iiitv of the other sections MT.
yolstead refuses to separate the sec
lions and the two groups are deao-
locked.
Tomorrow Mr.. Haynes will undertake
n study of the regulations. placed In
,heir revised form. to meet the views
ola down in the opinion Of the Depart
n,ent of Justice. A conference with sec
ratarv Of the Treasury Mellon will fol-
Inv. and soon thereafter they VIII pe
made public and distributed TO all OH
cials in the enforcement unit throughout
| the country .
real hattie in preventing medicinal beer
heinr placed on the market Their rear
a that even II the Volstead bill passes
In the end II will be too late to preven'
flood OF beer getting out into the
country.
The yoIstead charge that the brew
cries. now ready TO let loose millions o.
gallons of beer with "kick' as sooi
as their sales are made legal by thu
Internal Revenue Bureau, Will be abi'
within the short space OF few week
to release sufficient beer to supply th'
country for year.
II is also expected that COMMISSIONS
Blair will revoke the rule now In efiec
limiting physicians to 100 PRESCRIPTION
blanks each thirty days. Attorney
General Palmer held there Is no author
ity under the law for this rule.
Wet leaders both In the House ant
the Senate did not deny tonight tha
the "drys' will be able TO music
strength enough TO put the volstead bill
through eventually. but they assert the
will block It's passage as long as possible
Parliamentary delays which the bill
expected to encounter may hold II u
until next fall.
The sharpest fight upon the Volstea'
, beer bill is predicted after the measur
leaves the House. II Will meet n storm.
course in the Senate.
While the fight over beer continue
the "drys" have now encountered nev
/, handicaps. Their fight on the plan Z
transfer prohibition enforcement TO tn
Department OF Justice may be unsuc
cessful. since President Harding an
the Cabinet have Joined with Republics,
lenders for merger of certain group
of Government bureaus as a means o
economy and efficiency.