Evening star., 1925-05-31
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

A few more big sales of bonded
| liquor, such as that of the Overholt
distillery this week, and the national
decanter is dry.
BY prohibition unit reckoning there
are today only 3O,5O0,O00 gallons OF
pre-war whisky in the United States,
| wo-thirds of which is stored in con-
| centration warehouses. And that is
all, save for the private stocks of
which the Government has no record.
When that gives out the manufac-
ture of whisky, under strict legal SUI
pervtsion of course. probably will be
| resumed in the United States to pro-
vide such quantity as the doctors
need for ailing patients. The ban on
importations for medicinal use like
wise will be lifted slightly. But only
for medicinal purposes-the man with
thirst and without an ailment
stands no chance to get his legally.
There is little prospect, however,
that the supply of pre-war whisky,
small as 1t is when compared with the
consumption of other days, will be ex-
hausted Immediately. Commissioner
Haynes figures show that the so ,500,-
900 stock in bonded warehouses under
his control is being diminished at the
rate of about 100000 gallons a year,
all of which is withdrawn on permits
granted druggists and sold only on
physicians prescriptions.
At this rate the Overholt whisky
sold this week would supply the
medicinal needs of the country for
about a year. And as the whisky is
stored in warehouse kept under con-
tinuous and strict vigil by the Gov
ernment none of it will be withdrawn
for any other purpose than medicinal.
Even if the new buyers should want
to take a little of the whisky out of
the warehouse for their own personal
use they could not do SO.
Official notification of the sale has
not been received as yet by the pro-
hibition unit, but is awaited with con-
siderable interest. Unofficial advice
states that the transaction was not a
direct sale of the whisky, but a sale
of the controlling interest in the stock
of the company owning the whisky
an entirely permissible transaction.
Prohibition officials pointed out to-
day that any individual desiring to do
so can buy whisky stored in a bonded
warehouse If he is willing to accept
only the warehouse receipt and does
not attempt to withdraw his purchase
from bond. That is forbidden, unless
the purchaser is a druggist, author
lied by permit to withdraw and sell
whisky on prescription. Thus it is
entirely possible for any one other than
a druggist to own legally as much pre-
war whisky as he wishes to buy. AS
proof of his ownership, however, he
must be content to show only the
warehouse receipt. He can't show the
whisky.
The Government has frightened up
restrictions on whisky Withdrawals to
such an extent that they are today
less than a quarter Of the Withdrawals
of four years ago.
During the fiscal year 1921" Pro
hibition Commissioner Haynes informs
this correspondent, whisky withdraw
ais from bonded warehouses amounted
to S,671 $50 gallons. That was the
first full year of prohibition.
I'm 1922, when there were more ad-
equate supervision, new regulations
and various safeguards in operation.
Withdrawals totaled only 2,654,506 gal
Ions. In 1923 a low record was made,
only 1,754,893 gallons being with
drawn. In 1924 there were 1,S13,295
gallons withdrawn.
During the present fiscal year.