Evening star., 1925-12-02
SACRAMENTAL WINE
QUOTA CUT TO HALF
New Regulations Expected to
Help Stop Leakage Into
Illicit Channels.

Fifty per cent reduction in the
amount of wine permitted for sacra-
mental purposes is made by the Treas
nrN Department in new regulations is
sued last night and expected TO have
far-reaching effect in stopping leak
age into Illicit channels.
The maximum allowance for each
member Of family living together
was cut from gallons to gallon. and
Tor any one family the allowance was
"ur from 10 TO gallons, unless ii be
shown to the satisfaction of the tpro-
hibitfon) administrator that a greater
quantity is necessary"
All existing permits for the with
drawal OF wine by rabbis. ministers
or their agents will expire on Decem-
her 81. 1925, and no application here
after shall he valid 80 days after its
approval.
In the new regulations. which are
sweeping in their character. il is also
provided that only bishops, rahbis or
ministers themselves may issue the
wine, whereas in the past some agents
have been taking care of this function
Agents. however, it is provided in the
new regulations, may help the rabbi
or minister handle the actual wine,
hut may not sell il.
Labels printed to protect persons
transporting sacramental wine will he
signed by prohibition administrators.
and will read: THE purchaser of this
package is transporting with Gov
ernment approval sacramental wine
from his rabbi TO his own home
No figures were available at the pro
hihition unit as 10 the amount Of wine
used last year for Sacramental pur-
noses. 1t has been estimated by of
fcisls that an enormous amount has
leaked into the bootleg trade. Most
OF the wine used for saCramental pur
poses is made in California, New York
and Michigan.
The regulations. issued in form of a
Treasury decision, and a letter TO pro
fihftion administrators constitute one
rf the several steps taken by Assistant
Secretary Andrews and his advisers In
their big campaign to stop violations
Of the national prohibition act.
The rabbi or minister is required
20 keep a record OF distribution, sub
tect to inspection of the prohibition
administrator. The record will show
The names of worshipers receiving
wine and the date and quantity in
each case.
The rabbi or minister in charge OF
wine. It was ordered, shall provide a
suitable and safe storage place there
for. and" shall be held personally re-
sponsible for its safekeeping and shall
take care that 1t Is used only for sac
ramental purposes or like religious
,ites."
The storage place of each rabbi or
minister receiving wine shall be sep
arate from any other storage place
used for storing wine or distilled
spirits: subject 10 the inspection and
approval of the administrator.
"All wines now received and in
storage for sacramental purposes or
like religious rites may remain as
now stored until distributed and
thereafter none shall be received ex-
cept in the manner herein provided" I"
The qualifying clause which would
allow prohibition administrators to
grant more than ono gallon per per-
son or five gallons per family was
understood to have been included on
account of the diversity in claims of
certain orthodox Jews concerning the
amount actually needed for Sacra-
mental purposes.
In his letter to prohibition admins
traitors Assistant Secretary Andrews
explained the principles involved in
administering the sacramental wine
privilege and laid down the rules by
which the administrators were to be
governed.
The regulations had been issued, he
explained, after consultation with
many representative rabbis of the
various organizations of the Jewish
faith"
we believe that it is possible"
said the letter, TO set up such a
method Of distribution of sacramental
wine as will be satisfactory to the
Jewish faith and free from embarrass-
me1t to government and to the rabbis
This consummation is greatly de-
sired by the rabbis themselves, and
the Government is equally anxious to
bring il about"