Evening star., 1926-04-08

Early reports on the Rle OF malt
tonic with its 376 per cent of alcohol
permitted by the Federal prohibition
authorities indicate no wild enthusi-
asm on the pert of drinkers seeking
kick" But the experiment is being
watched with interest and the press
speculates on its wisdom and proba-
BILE results
1t is too early to Judge the 3.75
tonic loaded with a large percentage
Of malt" says the India napolis News
in a summary OF the situation. IT
may be as dise ppointing az Canada 4
a. beer. but from the quantities that
brewers are preparing to ma nufacture
they estimate that a whole lot more
than 3.75 per cent Of the population is
needing a medicinal tonic. There may
be q demand for this tonic but the
soundest demand 10 for law enforce.
ment and not law evasion"
On this point the Christian Science
Monitor declares: There Is convinc-
ing proof. In the activity of the Amei
can brewers whe are seeking per
mission TO place upon the market the
se.called medicinal beer which they
claim Is 'pala table but not potable.
that the law is being stringently en-
forced Evidently they hope. by In
veking the Indulgence OF those who as
sume the right TO construe the law.
to make 1t possible 10 dispense. under
the suise OF malt tonic. a. product
containing an appreciably higher per
centase of alcohol than is permitted
in the manufacture OF drinks legalized
under the law az 1t is now written.
and as 1t has been upheld by the
highest court of the land
Quoting six officials of the Anti Sa
loon League as having pronounced
the ruling "a mistake that will lead
to multiplied invasions of the law
and revisions to beverage USE" the
Spokane Spek eeman Review rems rks =:
Age old experience In this country
and every other land where the traf.
fic In Intoxicating liquor exists proves
beyond question that It cannot be kept
in hounds by concessions. 1t never
kept step with the government; 1t
was always breaking out OF bounds
ANY danger involved In it's use az
a beverage does not impress the Butte
Daily Post How much do you sup
pose q little thing like that will
amount to with the buyer who is out
for stun with q real kick" asks the
Butte paper. Right along, tens OF
hundreds Of thousan ands have been
drinking moonshine in full knowledge
Of the fac& that a good deal OF II is
oertain-s -sur& man.k killing poison
lin thesesdays." observes the Grand
Rapid Prees, when some people
drink toilet water, fiavor1ng extract,
perfume. liniment. fusel oil and shell
lac, the official fear that q few may
be willing to brave malt overdoses
for bser Jag Ii rather natural. But
it does seem that on both sides Of
the ocean Il 10 coming to be recos nized
that alcoholic stimulation 10 no direct
help to physical eniciency."
The Springfield Illinois State Jour.
nal recalls that similar permission
has been gra nted before for the manu-
facture OF a beverage for the sick." !"
and IL inclined to accept the assurance
that the high percentage OF solids in
malt tonic makes II wholly unft for
beverage purposes.
Whether or not the permits for the
manufacture Of malt liquor will be re
newed after the six month period" in
the opinion Of the Canton Daily News,
"will doubtless depend on the expe.
riences Of that time. Both tonics and
medicines must be prohibited II usage
makes them beverages. The Dan.
VILE Register wants to know where
Mr.. Andrews got the authority to or.
der medicinal beer to be manufac.
tured," and the Richmond Item a.
serts 1t IL his business not to make
prohibition laws. but to enforce the
statutes as they stand"
n the tonic pfoyeg to be dfinka Bile