Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-25
Grape Concentrate Sales.


An article in The Sunday Star.
written In California, shed interest
ing light on the now famous grape
concentrate" sales from the View
point Of the grape growers. The
growers, through their Federaaly aided
cooperative, plan to market the con-
centrate through drug store fountain
sales by the glass, the glasses to con-
tain nothing more startling than nom
alcoholic grape juice. They plan to
boom the concentrate as the proper
foundation for jellies-possibly pies,
buildings and punchless punch. 1t
developes that the sale of the ingredi-
ents in kegs is q side issue entirely, and
they cannot help it If the stuff in
kegs Is permitted to undergo natural
processes in the home and turn into
wine. The growers hope that many
large kegs will be sold nevertheless.
The Federal prohibition authorities
are watchfully waiting. Their attitude
toward the keg-sales campaign Is for
de present guided by circular letter
written by DR.. Doran in 1929, defining
the section Of the Volstead law relating
to Misunderstanding fruit juices and
cider. This makes it permissible to
manufacture on-intoxicating" fruit
juices and cider In the home on three
conditions, the first being that such
cider and fruit juices shall be nom
intoxicating in fact" The letter pro-
ceeds to warn agents that "the ship
ment Of Juice grapes, grape juice and
concentrates by carload lots or other
wise for resale for that purpose-manu-
facture Of Notwithstanding juices, ETC.,
within the homes entirely within the
law, and you viii, therefore, unless the
purpose and intent TO violate the law
Is apparent, not interfere with the
shipment or removal thereof .;
nor win you interfere with such manu-
facture and use in the home. unless
upon such satisfactory evidence Of the
unlawful sale Of such Notwithstanding
fruit juices or cider In or from such
home"
The question seems to be whether
there Il suficient purpose and intent"
to violate the Law evident in the sales
Of the grape concentrate as advertised
TO warrant Federal interference. But
in plain words, IL the Federal authori-
ties do not know why persons buy grape
concentrate in kegs, or what their In
tent Is or the intent Of those who mar
ket 1t in kegs, they are the only ones
who do not.
This is probably what sticks in the
craw Of such prominent dry leaders as
DR.. Clarence True Wilson and DR.. r.
Scott Mcbride. 1t is doubtful If either
believes that wholesale or harmful in
ebriety will follow on the heels Of the
sale Of grape concentrate IN kegs to the
relatively few who 50 choose to buy
their grapes. But II the Volstead act
permits the manufacture Of home wine,
or the 1arge-scale and open sale Of ma
terials that no sane man can sensibly
argue are intended for anything but the
manufacture Of home wine, the Vol
stead law or some other law enforcing
q constitutional amendment forbidding
the manufacture of intoxicating bever-
ages ought to say so.
It Is not to be denied that the at
titude Of enforcement officials is chang
ing. The famous experiment of John
Philip Hill Of Baltimore and the Su-
preme Court decision upholding seizure
Of kegs, corks, ETC., as intended for man
utacture Of beer, are hard for the pub
lie TO reconcile with the open sale Of
such material e. grape concentrate in
kegs, duly advertised as port" sherry"
and other fiavors.
The point of view of many others in
addition TO the outspoken drys, Is that
II the Volstead law cannot be enforced
| In regard TO the home manufacture of
wine or the home brewing Of beer, or II
1t is now impossible or even unwise
to prohibit the sale of materials neces-
sary for such manufacture, o vote by
Congress should either supply the legal
methods and machinery now lacking
for enforcement or else state clearly
the status of home brewing and home
wine making, and what can and cannot
be done in furnishing the homes with
, the necessary materials.
DR.. Wilson characteriSes the grape
concentrate campaign Is the most seri-
GUS threat to prohibition enforcement
since the volstead laws passage. 1t is
threat, not as regards the consequences
to those who make wine, but TO respect
for the law and faith in the desire
TO enforce 1t according to the letter and
rT,irfk