Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-12-03
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

II the public has any idea that when
prohibition ends next Tuesday an END
automatically will be written to agi-
tation over liquor, then it is doomed to
disappointment
Only the character Of the always
noisy battle will change. judged by de-
| ready representatives of the brewing
| and the distilling industries can be
heard telling of what they hope to in
duce Congress to do for them. And
when that struggle begins here, it will
! be starting, too. in % States that still
will be dry after Tuesday.
The average citizen must think that
| the distiller and the brewer should be
pretty happy person these days.
Each one has seen his industry re-
addition, have had almost seven months
of profitable operation while the eight
zenith amendment still was in the Con-
/ stitution Even the dstillers' best
| friends had expected it would take from
five to ten years to get prohibition out
| of the Constitution, and many believed
that hard liquors never could come
| back. Now both beer and whisky are
| here legally. But to listen to the groWls,
the groans and the means from the dis
| tillers and the brewers, an outsider
| would get the impression tIldL LIley are
taking terrible punishment.
Xxx
It all grows out Of the code Of fair
competition that President Roosevelt
has imposed. The President indicated
| by his action that he intends to have
| the Government keep q strong hand on
brewing and on distilling to prevent in
! the future those abuses that led to
prohibition. The codes provide key
to his thoughts on the subject of per-
manent Federal legislation to regulate
| these industries.
Those thoughts are hardly palatable
to rugged individualists in the beer and
whisky production business. They don't
] like to have the Federal Government
! in a position to put them out Of bust
ness summarily for bad acting. Neither
! do they like to have imposed upon them
the brain trusts" idea Of honesty in
labelling and advertising And. worst
Of all, Federal control over price and
production is CALLING to those with an
| eye on huge new market, accustomed
to higher liquor prices.
| But President Roosevelt imposed the
code provisions on them and there was
| little to do but acquiesce, after the
alternative he was reported to have
held up.
The story, as outlined by some Of the
distillers' representatives, concerning
the rules for that industry, disclosed
how the Agricultural Adjustment Ad-
ministration got quick action on its
biggest code. Previously only one of
these industrial constitutions had come
out of that organization, while las were
being ground out by the National Re
covery Administration.
| X
| This time, after hearing and argu-
ments. the distillers are reported to
have been called on November 25 and
| given the final draft of the document
that would rule their business until
Congress sets up a permanent liquor
control system They studied it over
Sunday and prepared objections. On
Monday at l o'clock-so the report is
| they were called again and, after re-
porting objections. we're given until 2
O'Clock to decide whether or not to &C
cept the provisions as outlined.
| Now the distillerS gave vent to hurt
| feelings and put in a call to Warm
Springs to see If delay could not be
arranged while compromise was being
worked out. A secretary to President
Roosevelt explained that it was choice
either of accepting the code or accept
ing a public statement from the Presi-
dent concerning their attitude. The
statement was described as "blast"
| Rather than incur displeasure of the
| Nations Chief Executive at this juno
ture, the distillers accepted. President
Roosevelt said of the code when order
| ing its imposition.
| 1.-THE code will be effective and con-
| troll the industry until such time as
Congress shall pass suitable legislation
10Y permanent Government control
"This code in no way limits the au-
thority OF the several States TO regulate
the methods Of sale Of intoxicating
liquors. but seeks to eliminate abuses
Logging"
It is the bootlegger that both the
liquor industry and the Federal Gov
eminent is concerned about after pro-
hibition ends.
He still will be free to ply his trade
in the % States that will continue
after Tuesday to prohibit the sale OF
hard liquors. In the wet States his
wares NAV be available at price under
! those of the legal industry. because OF
tax and license requirements that the
Government imposes.
| Also, there is the matter OF supply.
The stock of high-grade liquor in this
country is small. and the process OF
aging good liquors is slow. During
this transition period there is the ques..
ton whether the drinking portion OF
the public will not, in some measure,
continue to patronize the bootleggers
in preference to the legal liquor trade. .
One thing that both the distilled
spirits industry and the brewing indus
try object to in the codes drawn for
them is the rigid requirement for honest
advertising and strictly accurate label
ing.
Of Rexford Guy Tugwell, Assistant Sec
rotary Of Agriculture, leading brain
trust" member and leading prepayment
of the Copeland bill to force honest
advertising and branding of goods.
If distiller wishes to keep his per-
NIT to do business and not get into an
argument with the Federal Alcohol
Control Administration, he cannot
disseminate in any manner any false
advertisement of any distilled spirits.
Ar Advertisement shall be deemed to