Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-20

the amendment into conformity with
the traditional principles of our system
of government. BY comforting power
upon Congress it would give to the
amendment the necessary f1exibility.
The power to prohibit should be given to
the end that if the proposed modifica-
ton is adopted, the national prohibit
ton act would continue in force there
under until Congress enacted some other
plan, thus avoiding any break in the
system of control and preventing the
restoration of the saloon anywhere In
the United States.
"Under the proposed amendment, as
modified, Congress would have full
power Cd to continue the present syS-
TEN of absolute national Prohibition, or
CD to remit the matter in whole or in
part to the States, or 80 to adopt any
system of effective control. Since
4 greater fiexibility is one of the outStand-
ing needs of the present system, this
modification should be made even If
the policy OF absolute national prohlol-
ton is to be continued.
THAT Congress should then create
n bipartisan national commission on
liquor control, which should have fun
power under such laws as Congress
might enact to regulate and control
the manufacture, importation, eXporta-
ton, TRANSPORTATION in interstate COM
MERGE and also the sale, as and to
the extent hereinafter stated, OF in
toxicating liquors Of more than one
half of one per cent alcoholic content,
for beverage purposes; and to exercise
similar regulation and control over
alcoholic liquors for other purposes,
and of industrial alcohol, to the full
extent necessary to render the system
of control of such liquors for beverage
purposes effective.
Advises Full Powers.
"The powers of the commission as
TO the regulation and control of the
traffic indicated and of the agencies
created for the purposes thereof should
be fully as complete as those OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission over
railroads and should in every respect
be adequate for the purposes OF the
plan.
asThat Congress should create ma
tional corporation for the purposes OF
tAe plan, all of the stock OF which
should be privately owned, or In It's
discretion a number Of such corpora
tions, such as one for each judicial
Circuit
TT should be vested with the ex-
elusive right and power (to be ex-
ercised under the control and regula-
lions of the national commision) CT
manufacture, importation, expectation
and transportation in interstate COM
merce, and of sale as and to the extent
hereafter stated, of all alcoholic liquors
for beverage, as well as for medicinal
and sacramento purposes In, WITHIN
or from the territory of the United
states or subject to the jurisdiction
thereof.
Provides for Stock Issues.
"The financial plan of the corpora,
ton, to be fixed IN It's cnarter ana
In operation subject to the control Oh
the commission, should provide Tor an
issue of stock of only one class TO be
sold at par, to be entitled to simulated
dividends limited to such rate upon
the actual capital invested as might
be determined by Congress, or with
its authority by the commission. A rate
of not less than 3 per cent nor more
than per cent is suggested. The cor
poration should be permitted to retain
from its earnings not exceeding per
cent per annum on its invested capl-
"It should be required by law that
alcoholic liquors for beverage, meolclndl
or sacramental purposes OF over one
half of / per cent alcoholic content
by volume (not including lndustrlal
aicohoD might be manufactured, I'M
ported, exported, transported IN inter-
state commerce, or sold solely
bv the national corporation, or It's
branches The commission
should have power to prescribe the al
coholic content of the various xmas
and grades of liquors.
"All alcoholic liquors so acquired OF
produced should be promptly placed IN
bonded warehouses OF the corpora'loii'
"The corporation should only be al
lowed to make sales and shipment OF
such liquors in any State to corporate
agency created by such State, similar
in general character TO the natlonal
corporation, for the purpose OF the pur-.
chase and distribution and local sale OF
such liquors within the State II ana 70
the extent permitted by the laws
thereof.
States Free to Choose.
"1f the State at its option elected
not to adopt the system it could estao-
Iish or continue prohibition, in which
event it would have to enforce its own
laws within the State, but the teoeral
law would not permit sales or shipments
into that State by the national cor
poration except through the State IN
bond Every aspect OF the operations
outlined would be subject to the con-
troll and regulation of the commission
and appropriate penalties would be pre-
scribed for violations of the law or OF
such regulations.
'The price at which the various
Iiouors should be sold by the national
corporation should be fixed or approved
nv the commission after hearing IN
T1ronor cases. The prices should
be based primarily upon and scaled up
ward on the basis of alcoholic content
the lower prices on low alcohollc con-
tent LIQUORS, such as light wine and beer
and the highest prices practicable on
high alcoholic content liquors, Such as
WHISTLES and prandies.
1.-The prices should be such as on tnt
one hand TO limit the use and, on tn'
other hand, not high enough to perml
the ILLEGAL trafioNin or sale OF sucf
liquors. The price should be a
nearly uniform as possible Throughout
the country.
Sell to State Agencies
1.-THE national corporation Shoult
sell and transport only to State ageneie
created for the purposes of local dis
tribution and sale within the State
This would be entirely optional witt
the State. II any State desired 7
establish or continue prohibition
could do so. In that event 1t woul
have to enforce its own law within IN
State, but would be protected by tn
Federal Government from any suppl
from outside II a State elected TO g
Into the national system it would ere
ate a Stale commission and Stat
corporation similar in character an
akxasrkssra ~ the national aQqncieE dis