Evening star., 1933-12-13
F. A. C. A. and Tax Commit.
tees Act to Smash Bootleg
ger-Is 4-Month Quota.
ILLEGAL WHISKY RING
PLANNING TO COMPETE
Rockefeller Group Adviser Advo.
Gates Total Tax of Not More
Than $3.50.
By the Associated Press.

SAaAtS were dlLneQ at tne DOOtlegger
today from two directions as a con-
gressional liquor tax hearing recorded
reamS OF testimony for q low LIQUOR
levy, and the Federal Alcohol Control
Administration announced import allo-
cations for 5,595,137 gallons for the
next four months.
A plea from the liquor industry for
a low tax weapon to drive out the boot
logger drew support before a Joint Sen
ate and House committee from an ex-
pert for the Rockefeller committee,
which recently completed a study of
the problem.
DR.. Luther Gulick, adviser to the
Rockefeller committee, said it recon-
mended maximum levy, including
State and Federal. of SO a gallon, but
that he felt it should not go above So so.
Without an agreement with the
States to eliminate additional gallon
age taxes. DR.. Gulick said. the Federal
tax should not be more than $1.5O
or 81.
Wine Code Protested.
Meanwhile, hearings on a proposed
code and marketing arrangement for
the wine industry resounded with OBJ
JectionS against including both grape
growers and wine producers under the
same agreement.
Horace o. LAMA, president of the
California Grape Product Co. of San
Francisco, said it would be unfair to
have the winners pledge themselves in
advance to abide by price regulations to
be decided upon later by a separate
committee.
The F. A. c. A., indicating its allot-
ments were aimed at least in part at
making liquor prices cheaper, announc-
ed the Government until next March 81
will let in 1881 ,253 gallons of wine,
239,218 of champaign, 147,510 of
brandy. 3,314,443 Of whisky. including
American type, rye and bourbon; 40,630
of rum, 99,056 of gin and 123,027 gal
Ions of "cordials and liquors."
Joseph H. Choate. jr., F. A. G. A. di-
rector, explained that a reserve amount,
which he did not specify, had been
left for correction of any errors and
particularly to take care of entirely
new firms which might be found worthy
of receiving permits.
ALLEGATION by Countries.
The Federal Alcohol Control Admin
istration later made public the quotas
which 10 leading liquor exporting coun-
tries will be required to heed in the
imports to be allowed by this country
through March 81.
The figures, covering the total i'm
portations for distilled spirits. wine,
beer and other beverages, follow:
Italy, 100000 gallons; France, 784,-
399 900: Spain. 395 900: Japan, 187 600;
10000; Portugal, 10000;
China, IS 900, and Greece, 25 900.
The figures for irnportations under
25 900. F. A. c. A. officials explained,
were not considered in the quota class
and therefore were not made public.
The quota figures were compiled for
a four months importation average
based on the average for the 1910-19l4
period.
At the Capitol hearing Prof. Yandell
Henderson of Yale advocated a new
experiment in the control of liquor. per-
mitting the sale of full-strength whisky
only in packages, but of diluted liquor
by the drink in restaurants and clubs.
Henderson suggested levy on whisky
high enough to make it sell for So or
81 quart, but lower rate on diluted
whisky so that it could be sold by the
drink for 10 or Is cents.
Il know that an effort will be made
by other speakers to persuade you to
liquor" Henderson said That might
eliminate the speakeasy, but it would
restore the saloon and promote drunk
ennesS.
Proof spirits of all varieties should
be taxed so high, perhaps 81 a gallon,
that quart bottle at retail will cost
SO or 81. But that is not all.
Speakeasy Is Factor.
"I fully agree that unless a reason
able drink Of whisky can be bought in
restaurants and clubs for a moderate
price, say 10 or Is cents, men who want
a drink OF whisky will continue to go
to the speakeasy.
What I want to urge on you as
earnestly as I can, as practical and
scientific solution of this problem, is
that whisky that has been diluted at
the distillery down to 10 or IL per cent
of alcohol and is supplied only in pint,
or better. half-pint bottles, should be
given the benefit of relatively low
tax"
Henderson said drunkenness resulted
from the typical American way" of
drinking whisky straight. The most
effective way to promote temperance, he
said, is to promote dilution.
The proposal for low tax on liquor
to drive out bootlegging, Henderson tes-
titled. amounts to encouraging drunk
enness"
His proposal, he said, would satisfy
the large majority of those who want
to drink spirits and few people would
get drunk
To get whisky that would retail for
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