Evening star., 1934-04-26
b00TLEGG|NGCURB
ASKED IN PETITION
Congress Members Request
President to Reorganize
F. A. c. A.

President Roosevelt has before him
q petition signed by IL members Of
Congress charging that the Federal
Alcohol Control Administration Is q
"super-power" that Is throttling the
legitimate liquor industry to the ad-
vantage of the bootiegger and calling
on him to abolish or reorganize the
newly-formed code enforcement
agency.
Copies OF the petition, signed by a
group OF House members led by Rep
resentative Emanuel Celler, Democrat,
OF New York. also have been sent to
Assistant Secretary Of the Treasury
Stephen B. Gibbons, John 8. Hurley,
head Of the Justice Departments al
coholic beverage control unit; DR..
James M. Doran of the Bureau of In
dustrial Alcohol; D. Spencer Bliss.
deputy commissioner of internal
revenue, and Harry Lowrie of the
Distillers' Code Authority.
Other sigpers were Representatives
Lanzetta, Dickstein, Lindsay and Boy
Ian, all New York Democrats; Repre-
sentatives Boland and Walter, Demo-
Gratis, both Of Pennsylvania: Repre-
sentative Sweeney, Democrat, Ohio;
Representative Condor, Democrat,
Rhode Island: Representative Lewis.
Democrat. Colorado: Representative
SABBATH, Democrat, Illinois, and Rep
resentative Hartley, Republican, New
Jersey.
Interference Charged.
The Congress members declared the
F. A. G. A., created as an interim
body to coordinate taxation, control
and regulation Of alcoholic beverages
and to administer N. r. A. and A. A.
A. code regulations. has gone "far be-
yond" these activities, interfering with
"the orderly and natural growth OF
the reborn liquor industry.
There has been thrust upon the
industry sort of 'super-power' called
the F. A. c. A." the petition recites
There Is no appeal from the decisions
Of the F. A. C. A. There is no pro-
vision for judicial review. It's edicts
are final. This intense bureaucratic
control Of the industry has placed II
in sort of straitjacket.
Regulations that are most burden
some have made it difficult for the
legitimate trader to function and quite
easy for the bootlegger and illegitimate
trader to prosper. This 'super-power,
the F. A. c. A., now decides who may
manufacture, import, rectify and
wholesale, and to what extent. This
is done by an elaborate system OF
quotas and permits. The legal basis
for this procedure is doubtful.
Further Spread Feared.
"One may ask to what length the
Government intends to 90 in the mat.
ter of control Of the market and the
abolition of competition, as well as the
setting up of permit system which
vas supposedly eliminated by repeal >
The F. A. c. A., it was stated, has
encroached on the functions of the
customs, internal revenue, pure food
and drugs, justice dry unit and other
agencies. and has thereby created
a great deal of ill-will among mem.
bers Of the liquor industry and amons
Instead of allowing the liquor in
dustry to fashion its own code and t.
govern itself. the administration ha.
forced upon 1t rigid and unfair pro.
visions" and has .'brooked no opposi.
tion," 1t was asserted. Its icensins
powers, 1t was said, are drastic anc
far-reaching" and were forced upor
an unwilling Industry"
Pointing out that licensing power.
under the N r. A. will be allowed Il
expire for other industries, the peti.
ton demanded that the liquor licens-
ing power Of the F. A. C. A. also be
terminated
The liquor industry does not dare
complain. 1t was stated, because ap-
plicants fear reduction of their quotas
impairing Of their permits and raising
Of prejudice against them.
Members of Congress have not