The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-04-18
CONGRESS WORKS A MIRACLE


Harold c. Hoffman, New Jersey motor
vehicle commissioners has issued state
ment which is in the nature of 4 warning
to beer consumers in that State. 1t is as
follows:
Entirely apart from any personal taste, either
for or against beer or for or against wet views
or dry ones motor vehicle and traffic officials are
hoping that The beer user viii watch it's potential
effects upon his driving safety. Theoretically, at
least 30 per cent beer is Notwithstanding. 1t is
conceivable. however that an excess consumption
Of it by certain individuals might result in an adj
verse effect upon the mental alertneSS and skill
with which they operate their automobiles. This
GROUP be it large or small must realize that there
can be no abatement of the motor vehicle regula-
lions and penalties for driving under the influence
of alcohol"
Commensurate as may be the continued
efforts of the New Jersey official to en-
force the laws against drunken motor We
hicle drivers. it is somewhat difficult for
the average citizen to figure out how this
is going to be accomplished under existing
conditions, For example here is the prob
: lem now confronting public officials and
OIllCefSs OF JuSs t4W CtletkSSetN Wftii II'| N'"'
of enforcing highway regulations:
Congress has decreed that 30 beer is not
intoxicating. BY the simple eXpedlent ct
passing law Congress has changed the
nature of alcohol and has made beer nom
Intoxicating. That being the case, how can
a beer drinker become intoxicated? Ger
tainly not, according to the decree of Con-
gress, by drinking beer.
But-suppoSe an intoxicated citizen Is
found on the highways and hailed into
court by an officer of the law. The citizen
may have all the symptoms of intOXication,
but it is clear that said citizen cannot be
intoxicated if he has been drinking beer
because Congress has said that beer is not
Intoxicating. Therefore, the logical defense
of the citizen against the charge of driving
motor vehicle while under the influence
of Intoxicating liquor, would naturally be
that he is not intoXicated-has been drink
ing nothing but beer-and beer cannot and
will not intoxicate.
This state of affairs is going to present
a real problem to law officers and the
courts. There are laws providing for the
punishment of drunken drivers of motor
vehicles, but how are they going to be Ell
forced against intoxicated persons who
cannot possibly be intoxicated, because
they have been drinking nothing stronger
than Congress notwithstanding beer? An
other view of the matter is that many per-
sons who drink hard liquor will now enter
pleas of beer drinking when they are
hauled into court on the charge OF driving
while under the influence of intOXlcantS
Although they may have been drinking
whisky, they will claim to have been drink
ing only beer; and how is the court to de-
termine whether the alcoholic content OF
the law breaker is beer or whisky, without
having chemical analysis made of the
citizen at the bar? In fact, that probably
would fail to disclose the desired informa'
tomas alcohol is alcohol; and chemical
analysis probably would show nothing
more than that the aforesaid citizen was
full of alcohol.
Whisky will continue to intoXicate, be-
cause Congress has not changed the ma
ttre of whisky by passing a law; but all
imbibefs will now drink beer, because Con
gress fTasmade beer Notwithstanding, ana
when drunken driver, whether drunken
on beer or whisky, is brought into court II
is a certainty that he will enter the plea
that he has been drinking beer, alene and
cannot possibly be intoxicated, because
.f. Y.