The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-11-16
BY WILLIS THORNTON
NEA Service Writer


loosening Of the prohibition bar
rier, even without waiting for any
changes in the laws.
All the sopping-wet cities, which
always have more or less ignored
the prohibition law so far as their
local police were concerned, re-
acted Immediately.
In such cities, many citizens got
their beer right along without
much trouble, before the election.
Afterward, there was even less
trouble. Modification" was given
a big push by the mandate of the
people" of Nov. 8.
Mayor Anton Cerrnak of Chi
cago (Which always has been
dripping wet) was quoted as say
ing, Chicago brewers need not
wait for the repeal of the search
and seizure act. The police will
not enforce it, as far as beer is
concerned"
Cermak later, however, ad-
dressed city council, saying: 1.-The
first necessary action is to repeal
the search and seizures act
the state then will be ready to
abide by what congress does"
The conflict between these state
ments attributed to Cermak is
typical of the confusion which all
Overwhelmingly wet communities
found themselves. And the
practical result was an immediate
let-down Of all dry barriers.
CITIES We'd with one another
~ to get through their councils
repeal of ordinances governing To-
cal enforcement of the dry laws,
and even former saloon license
laws.
Re-enactment was sought in
some cases of new saloon license
laws which will be ready when
ever congress acts.
Rumors that national prohibi-
ton enforcement agencies quietly
had passed the word to LAY off
beer" were denied quickly.
But it was obvious to everybody
that the reduced federal prohibi-
ton forces now available can not
begin to cope with the beer situa-
ton in the great cities without at
least the appearance of co-opera-
ion from local police.
Though no immediate change in
the status of hard liquors" even
has been proposed, bootleggers
were encouraged to holder meas
ures by the mere thought of the
election, and plans were immedi-
ately put in effect to flood the
country with liquor by Christmas
as it has not been flooded for
thirteen years.
Ignoring of the national prohi-
bition laws by wet cities, especial
ly as regards beer, is nothing new.
The urban American never really
has been without his beer.
n n
THE last estimate made of beer
n consumption under prohibi-
ton is that of the prohibition bu-
reau for the fiscal year 1930-683,-
$4,000 gallons. The estimate for
the same year by the Association
Against the Prohibition Amend
ment was 790,000,0O0 gallons cost
ing $395,0O0,000 at so cents a gall
Ion.
Some figure these as high as
$1.20 a gallon, at which rate we
would be spending almost as much
for beer now as we did in 1914 for
all liquors, $1,635, 048034.
Nobody knows how much of this
was produced by bootleggers, and
how much in cellars for home
consumption, but nearly every
ones personal experience with the
concoctions of his neighbors will
show that a good deal of it is
homemade.
The stories Of the leaks in the
prohibition dyke have been re-
peated often. They are familiar
to everybody. But less known is
the newest twist to the beer stu
alton.
} 1t arises from the processes in
herent to beer-making. Beer is
"a beverage brewed from barley
malt with the addition of pre-
pared cereals such as corn or
rice, and favored with hops"
THE process is, in principle, as
Il follows: Barley is caused to
terminate or Sprout by sleeping
it in water, causing the husks to
swell and soften. A "diaStase"
begins, rendering the starch of
the grain soluble. The process is
checked at the proper point by
kiln drying.
The grain then is crushed be-
tween rollers, mixed with water
into gruel-like liquid, and heat
ed. Sometimes other raw grains
in small quantities are added.
The mash" is drained from the
bottom of tub, clarified, and
drawn off as wort (and pro-
nounced wurt). This is collected
into watts, yeast is added, and fer
mentation does the rest.
Until the yeast is added, the
wort is non-alcoholic and prohi-
bition laws haven't been able to
touch it. So some brewerieS make
beer right up to the point of add
ing yeast.
Then they peddle the wort. Any
one can buy legal wort add yeast,
and await beer.