The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-12
"Drys" Gasp While Anheuser-
Busch Makes Odd Plea.
Says BreWeries That Observe
Law Losing Money.
CONGRESS- TO PLUG LEAKS
Beer Not Tonic, But 'TeutOnic," ="
Declares Chief of Drys.
Supplement to Dry Law Now
Being Put in Shape.


washington, May 12.-One or the
country's biggest brewers today de-
manded stricter enforcement of the
prohibition law and a ban on beer as
medicine.
A congressional investigation into
charges that many breweries are being
allowed to make real beer, despite the
Volstead law, was asked before the
house judiciary committee by repre-
sentatives of Anheuser- Busch, st.
Louis brewers.
Drys Gaspcd in Amazcment.
While the drys in the committee
Easped in amazement, the Anheuser-
Busch representatives urged the pass
age by congress of legislation that
would adequately prohibit the use OF
beer as a medicine.
The position Of the brewers in these
respects put them in the same boat
as the radical drys." Oliver T. Rem
mers, Anheuser-B Busch attorney. said
his company desired stirct enforce
ment of the law and that this would
be impossible if the prescription or
beer is allowed. The company made
it plain that it believes the sale of Y
per cent beer should be allowed open
". but not thru prescriptions and drug
stores.
Those Who obey Law Lose.
The Anheuser Busch attorney
charged that brewers in ChicaSo,
Pennsylvania and Ohio are plainly
making real beer and that it has
caused a loss to his company of $4,-
600. 900 or $5,000,000 because 1t IS
obeying the law.
I'm certain centers," said Remmers,
"the brewing and sale of beer mas
never been discontinued under the
present prohibition laws.
Public officials whose duties 1t is
to enforce the laws, have shown amaz-
ing Indifference and have refused 10
act when evidence of open violation IS
laid before them.
favoritism to brewers in certain CEN
ters has been that our firm has been
penalized $4,000, 900 or $5.000,0OO
solely because it obeys the law 1t
would be an easy matter now for the
prohibition enforcement officers abso-
lutelv to stop the illegal sale of beer
Within twenty-four hours they could
revoke the license of every brewer
who is violating the laws-and L am
sure that these officials know who the
law violators are-and there would be
no more illegal brewing.
Zines are ineffective. A brewer
recently advertised that he had been
fined $500 in order to sell more
beer"
All manufacture and importation of
LIQUORS must be stopped until the
present supply of forty million gall
Ions remaining in the country is prac-
tically exhausted by nonbeverage uses.
This is the edict of the Anti-Saloon
League, conveyed to congress today by
Wayne 3. Wheeler, its counsel, in
opening hearings before the house
judiciary committee on the Volstead
supplemental prohibition enforcement
bill, designed to plug up leaks in the
original Volstead law.
Wheeler, urging that the bill be
II IO1
ton of former Attorney General Pal
mer that beer is medicine and can be
prescribed in unlimited quantities.
The Volstead supplement is necessary,
he said, because of loOpholes which
violators have found.
In urging an embargo on the manu-
facture and Importation of liquor,
Wheeler claimed that the supply on
hand in bonded warehouses had actu-
ally increased 100000 gallons during
the first three months of this year.
THE distillers are making whisky
and it is being imported for nonbever-
age use" he said. THE effectiveness
of prohibition is in inverse ratio to
the supply on hand. The menace will
not be removed as long as we make
and import as much liquor as we use
Beer is just plain booze. Doctors
have repudiated it as a medicament
science has characterized it as a fake
food; the druggists say they do not
want TO sell II ana testimony taken
in investigating the German-American
alliance reveals that it is not a tonic
but 'Teutonic.'
Beer contains too little alcohol to
make it useful as a medicine. and too
much alcohol to make it safe as a
beverage"
Knock Out Palmer Rule.
Hearings on the supplement were
commenced today before the house ju-
dietary committee of which Volstead
is chairman.
The primary object of the drys in
demanding legislation in addition to
the NOlstead law is to administer a
knockout blow to the ruling of former
Attorney General Palmer that beer,
is medicine and may be prescribed
in unlimited quantities. The drys
want to make sure the new prohibit
tion commission will not put the rul-
ing into effect.
The action today marks the first
stca toward amendment of the Vol
stead law since it was enacted in Oc-
tober. 1919.
The main provisions of the Volstead
supplement- are:
Absolute prohibition against the
prescribing of beer as medicine
An embargo on the manufa cture
and importation of liquors until the
amount of such liquor now in dis
t1llerleS or other bonded warehouses
shall have been reduced to a quantity
that in the opinion of the prohibition
commission. will with liquor that may
thereafter be manufactured, be suffi-
cient to supply the current need
thereafter for all nonbeverage pur-
poses"
Greater restrictions on the use of al
cohol in the making of patent medi-
cines.
Extension of the law to the Virgin
Islands and Hawaii.