Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-31
ALKY TO BE NASTY
Continued from Page one)

quantity Of two to four per cent of
wood alcohol would not prove very
injurious. He is not alarmed over
the new formula which goes into eff
feet on January I containing four
per cent Of wood alcohol instead of
the customary two per cent because
this formula will not contain the pyro-
dine used heretofore.
Complete enforcement of the pro-
hibition law is an unreasonable ex-
pectation, the prohibition head de-
clared today, and some people are
goinS to continue to drink whatever
they can get.
He wants the substitutes and in
dustrial alcohol so treated that drink
ers will be warned by the taste and
smell that it is not good.
Mr.. Mellon does not believe that
the numerous holiday alcohol deaths
resulted from denatured alcohol but
rather that probably too much drink
ing was responsible. Even before
prohibition, he recalled, there were
deaths from the use of poisoned al
cohol which was resorted to by some
dishonest dealers and drinkers.
James M. Doran, chief of prohibition
chemists, went today to Philadelphia
and New York but officials would
not say that he was investigating
the numerous deaths from alcohol in
these cities recently.
As to industrial alcohol, Secretary
Mellon is of the opinion that its
leakage into bootleg channels has
proved one Of the main problems of
enforcement as a result of the shut
ting off of the sources of supplies
from Rum Row and domestic distil-
leries. A special squad has been or
dered by Assistant Secretary An
drews, dry chief. to block this source
Of supply.
In a prohibition review, w. H.
Staten, national chairman of the As
ISOLATION Against the Prohibition
Amendment referred to tho use of
poisonous denaturants in alcohol, and
declared that 1.-The definite movement
away from fanatical restrictive legis-
lation especially in the field of pro-
hibition enforcement will witness de-
cided acceleration in the coming
year"
GAS the year closes" he said, "the
drys are showing signs of desperation
as they endeavor to maintain their
last slipping hold on congress. They
have lost out in the effort to secure a
large appropriation for Shopping
and spying, which mean that the Deo-
ple's money, much of which will so
toperpetuate the prohibition farce for
another year, will not be spent for
purposes of deceit and falsehood, for
the creation of the very evidence on
which to convict Offer against
the prohibition laws.
'But they cling tenaciously to a
sorrier piece of legislative villainy,
namely, that which contributes to
| the death of an untold number of
Americans annually through the
drinking of illegal beverages made
of alcohol into which has been put a
poisonous denaturant by order of
| the government. The Anti Saloon
| League is particularly fearful that
| this murderous feature of enforce
ment methods will be abandoned.
"Mr. Wayne Wheeler has classed
those who lose their lives In drink
| ing such poisoned decoctions as
guilty of deliberate suicide The
| same. 1t will be recalled, was said OF
! those who dared to go on board the
| Lusitania after the insolent warning
| of the central powers"
| Wayne B. Wheeler, who keeps
| close tab on the governments dry
1 law enforcement activities, said In 9
, statement tonight that "the solution
! of the whole poison alcohol problem
I il more effective enforcement OF
the law"
ut is strange logic" he said, to
insist that If a person buys bottles
poison alcohol and is killed by drink
ing II. he is a martyr; but if he buys
carbolic acid and drinks 1t he Is
suicide; or If the druggist sells car,
bolic acid for syrup Of SIENNA and ths
purchaser uses It and dies the drug
= l,ar,aicidaO