The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-10-03
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Congressman Hill to Obtain
Ruling on Alcoholic Con-
tent of Home Brew.
Rx HOWARD wv. PIcKARp

WHETHER it is violation Of the
w prohibition law to make and pos
sess homemade cider and fruit juices
which contain an alcohol percentage
Of 2.T5-a question that interests thou
sands of farmers and other American
citizens-may soon be decided by
federal court. For a long time Con-
gresham John Philip Hill of Maryland
has been trying to get court ruling
on that point, and now he has been In
dicted by federal grand jury in Bal
timore and will be tried on these
counts:
/. Manufacture Of % gallons Of wine
at his home on September q. 1923.
2. Unlawful possession Of wine on
the same date.
8. Manufacture of 80 gallons of
cider at his home on September IL,
1924.
4. Unlawful possession Of cider on
the same date.
5. Maintaining common nuisance,
at his home by manufacturing wine.
6. Maintaining common nuisance
at his home by manufacturing cider,
Mr.. Hills home is already under
temporary injunction because of his
wine making there last year as a
means Of forcing the courts to settle
the point in. the Volstead act which he
wants defined. PA
Quite recently the .congressman's
friends gave him cider press with
. which he made some 2.75 per cent
cider which he served to several hun
dred guests, He invited Prohibition
Commissioner Haynes to the party and
dared the dry agents to arrest him.
Mr.. Haynes did not attend the festivi-
ties but in other respects Is giving the
congressman the chance he wanted to
determine whether 2,75 per, cent drink
is intoxicating. If Mr.. Hill is found
guilty he may be fined or sent to Jail
for as long as six months. but he is
willing to take the chance.
EOR a few days Manila. known as
Z the wettest city under the American
flag, was threatened with dry regime,
for the United States officials ruled
that foreign ships destined for that
port and carrying liquor should not be
given bills of health by American con-
suls. But the. Filipino customs officials
have got around this by imposing only
nominal fines on vessels arriving with
out bills of health. and normal condi-
tons are restored in the bars of Ma
nila., B "a.
THAT monumental liar and former
L German spy, CASTOR B. Means, has
forced himself upon the front page
again. He gave to Harry Daugherty
signed reputation of his testimony be-
fore the senate investigating commit
tee and declared that most of the
other witnesses against the former at
torney general also had perjured
themselves at the procurement of the
prosecution" Daugherty Immediately
sent copy Of this confession to John
w. Davis, who had. been saying some
very severe things about him and the
Department of Justice under his con-
duct, and called on the Democratic
candidate to retract. Mr.. Davis re-
piled with reiteration of his state
ments and made 1t clearer that they
were directed against Daugherty per-
sonally, and charged him with obscur-
ing the '.real" issue of the campaign,
honesty in government, by trying to
make the issue defense against Boil
shevism.
There were reports that nearly all
the important witnesses against
Daugherty, except Roxie Stinson, had
signed statements repudiating their
testimony. On the other hand there
were signs that the Means confession
was a part of a deep-laid scheme of
that individual, and possible others. to
further entangle DaugaErty, The liar
himself gave countenance to this idea
by saying that his reputation, while
signed. was not made under oath; and
Senator Wheeler, the committees
prosecutor" in the inquiry, said Means
was lying now to keep himself out of