Evening star., 1933-12-17
MONTANA GOES DRY
JUST AFTER REPEAL
Interval of Aridity Follows State Failure
to Get Supply at Bootleg
Price Boost.

the State law provides control of liquor
by the State and the State had nothing
to selll
Delay In setting up machinery for
handling liquor and inability to pro-
cure a supply at once brought on
condition of drought, as bootleggers be-
came exceedingly shy and the supply
of bootleg got scarce and prices rose.
However, prospective patrons were
small supply had been obtained and by
December Is the State had initiated its
system of sale through stores. Butte,
Great Falls and Helena got the first
allotments Ultimately, there is to be
at least one liquor store in every countysn
wkile the cities will have several each.
Meantime, the Legislature, in special
session on this and other matters, was
considering amendment Of the control
act, the original appropriation having
been found to be far too small The
bootleggers were quick to take advantage
Of the situation and promptly began to
announce an advance in prices.
Bootleggers To Remain.
In the end, there is little likelihood
that legal liquor will'run out the Illicit
variety for some time to come, unless
the State is able to sell the real stuff
at lower rate than promised. Despite
appeals to patriotism, it Is entirely prob
able that a majority of consumers will
buy In the cheapest market, and even
with the advance in prices, the boot
leggers will be appreciably under State
prices Meanwhile. the State is scurry-
ing around trying to rustic more whisky
to sell and, in lay opinion, the distillers
are asking prices SO high that it will
be many a day ere the bootlegger is
crowded from the field. Consequently.
the purpose of repeal will be defeated
by greed on the part Of producers.
Whether there is any solution remains
for governing officials, who seem TO find
the problem rather a deep one.
Another phase of the liquor situation
in Montana arose when Raymond T.
Nagle, attorney general, advised the
county attorneys to confiscate all beer
running more than 80 per cent alcohol.
Mr.. Nagle was informed that stronger
beer is coming into the State. Beer
ever the 80 content violates the Mon
tana liquor code, unless it is sold IN
State liquor stores.
According to official notification re-
ceived from the Internal Revenue Bu-
reau at Washington by Lewis Penwen,
collector of internal revenue for Mon
tana. this district ranks third out Of ga
. in the Nation for production records in
October. In view of the great distances
in the State, the record is considered
remarkable.
| Montana lumber, it is hoped will
! largely be used in construction Of the
great dam that is to be erected for flood
control at Fort Peck. r. R. Pucell
State director of unemployment, with
headquarters in Helena, has been in
| formed by the War Department that
the lumber interests of this State will
receive full consideration in lumber
purchases for the project. Montana
| lumber, it Is felt, naturally would be
cheaper than that produced elsewhere.
Montana fir. it is understood, will be
acceptable for much of the contem-
plated work.
Hotel Code Postponed.
The effective date of the N. r a
code for hotels of the State has -hce-
postponed until January / next by
Hugh johnson. N. r. A. administrat0r
according TO official word received b
the Montana Hotel Association. A. J.
! Breitenstein. secretary Of the assoeia-
ton, says postponement was grsntef
on plea of the association, which is
making an earnest effort to c0np,v
with the provisions of the ccde on
wages and hours
Repairs on the State Capitol accord
ing to Gov. Freak H. Cooney, will give
work to 420 men, skilled and unskilled
from now until February Is. Work has
already begun. The work will be done
in two shifts Of five hours for 210 men
daily. tt