Evening star., 1932-01-04
LIQUOR MONOPOLY
LOOMS FOR F|NNS
Close Government Control
of All Sales Held
Likely Plan.

copyright, 1892, by the Associated Press)
HELSINGFORS, Finland, January
4.-Finlands future course on the
liquor question, now that the popula-
ton has voted overwhelmingly to re-
peal the dry law, will rest largely in
the hands of Minister OF Justice E. M
Kivimaki, who has the duty of drafting
a new law for the cabinet and plotting
it through Parliament.
The minister today outlined his plans
for the Associated Press correspondent.
He emphasized that he was speaking
entirely personally, but it is known
that the cabinet has often had the
liquor issue under consideration and his
utterances may be considered prac-
tically equivalent to a government an
nouncement.
What I'm telling you" he said,
represents only my private opinion,
for the cabinet has not met since the
referendum to agree on the principles
OF a new law. We had previously de-
cided, however, that the nations best
course in the liquor issue would be one
OF strict regulation and taxation. What
form this regulation may take is for
Parliament to decide, but I favor the
so-called "Goteborg" system, which was
by which no profits go to individuals,
but all to the state
Calls for Monopoly.
He cid not go into details about
che system, but it was learned that
the plan calls for the organization OF
q government-controlled corporation
which alone would have the right to
import and trade in alcoholic bev-
All Yrtxafn DEALINGS aYHPnt
through this corporation, would be for
bidden.
80 far as am concerned" Mr..
Kivimald said, "the Swedish Bratt
system does not enter into considera-
ton at all"
The "Rratt system" provides for
Yationing alcohol but, in the opinion
of Finnish officials, this led to abuses,
in that one person often passed off
his ration to another at a considerable
profit.
II am fortunate" the minister of JUS
tice said, ito have as my chief CO.
worker in outlining Finlands future
liquor legislation the country'S former
President, X. j. Stahlberg, who heads
a special committee which has been
sitting almost constantly for the last
two weeks to work out the governments
proposal in every detail Until this final
graft is in my handS ana We nave olS-
cuSsed it together and agreed, do not
wish to say anything further about the
details"
Special Session Unlikely.
No special session of Parliament will
be called. I'VE expect" he said, that
Mr.. Stahlberg's Committee will have a
well-balanced draft ready by February
] and that the new law may be put into
effect by May or June
Asked about the future smuggling,
Mr. Kivimaki said:
THE first and most important fea-
ture Of the new legislation must be
drastic laws for the suppression of
smuggling. Heretofore we have been
powerless, because the population along
the coast was opposed to prohibition.
With the dry law abolished, the govern
ment feels certain the population will
join with it in eliminating the snug
ging, which became a real curse"
The belief was expressed in govern
ment circles that the new law will also
provide that one-haf OF all revenue
from alcohol will go into the regular
budget, while the other half will be set
aside for social measures, such as un-
employment relief, old-age pensions
and a welfare fund.