The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-09-25
FLIGHT
Sensational Increase
In Liquor Use Amszes
Government Wonders On
Extraordinary Imbibine
Voters Disregard War
Issues in BelIotine

nv mai AlAhFsH
WASHTNGTON-Ths sensation
a. increase IN consumption Of hard
liquor within the past few months
has caused concern among federal
authorities and organized distil-
lers- With military alcohol now
being made instead Of beverages,
q protrscted war might easily
place the drink that cheers on a
ration basis.
Whisky supplies now total APP
proximately SIS, 200. 900 gallons
and there are only s5l.ooo gallons
of real gin" Ordinarily that
would amount TO about a five
years supply. But II is estimated
that the American people VIII i'm
bihe about SO. o00. 900 gallons dur
ing the current fiscal year. The
Withdrawals for July reached the
unprecedented figure OF 800, 900
gallons a. against $500 900 In the
same month in 1871. an tipping Of
more than 20 per cent. stamp
sales. which provide the most &C
curate criterion. show jump OF
Is per cent in actual purchases.
The pickup. oddly. began immedi-
ately after Pearl Harbor.
A certain percentage Of the dis
trinution may be due TO boarding
IN anticipation of heavier taxes
carried In the pending revenue
bill. The levy will soon be boosted
from q dollar to a dollar and one
half q quart. which may bring a
cut in slipping and result IN large
scale bootlegging. Otherwise. there
are stocks for three and one-hslf,
whereas the minimum expectation
In that the conflict win last five
years.
The close Of the controversial
primary period furnishes an OPP
portunity TO examine trends
among the electorate which may
be reflected in the November con-
gressionai and state elections. Ma
tional politicos here are burning
the midnight oil in an attempt TO
anticipate what win hit them on
the third Of that month.
The outstanding discovery Is that
the voters seemed TO disregard war
issues In their ballot box behavior.
Deep dyed noninteryentionists
were returned in most instances
Brooks and Day of Illinois. Fish
Of New York. ell Repuhiicans).
despite administration efforts To
cut them down. Only about thirty
per cent OF the eligibles parti-
cipated in these preliminary tests
and this apathy affected Repub-
licans rs well a. Democrats. al
though IN certain polls, notably
California, the COP rolled up
larger totals.
The farm group appears to be
returning to the old conservative
homestead after running around
with the New Deal since 1888.
Likewise the labor people seem to
be cooling toward the ''ins." James
A. rarley's victory In New York,
a. well ~ the large protest reg
istration scored In Massa chusetts
by John r. Honey Fitzgerald
Id. against Representative Casey.
q White House favorite, indicates
that the urban crowd Ia not 20
solid for the party in power as II
has been for more than q decade.
In short. despite the national and
international issues born of the
conflict, the United States APP
parentiy 10 heading back TO poll
teal normally.
National COP Chairman Joe"
Martin Is not yet ready to assert
that he will be the next speaker
of the house. But privately the
popular Bay State legislator
thinks that Sam Rayburn viii have
70 hand the official limousine 70
him after the first Of January. II
viii be quite welcome. for Joe now
rides the crowded busscs and troll
leys from his residence to Capitol
Hin.
II is not generally realized. bu,
Q five per cent shift in the vote
will mean the election OF fifty
minority members in addition &c
the number the Republicans have
now. A ten per cent change viii
give them q gain Of a hundred
seats. They need only fifty-twe
TO obtain nominal control Of ths
lower chamber, but for a work
ing majority they ought 10 boosi
their total by about sixty. Ever
II they win only thirty or fort,
places, the house viii be definitel,
anti-Roosevelt except on the CUES
ton Of q vigorous prosecution o
the fight against the Japs and IN
Germans.
Presidential fear that the large
branch Of the congress win be 20
liticaliy hostile underlies r. D. r.
strategy Of obtaining q revenu
bill, an anti-inflstion measure AM
q National War Service act 20
mobilixing manpower before tn
seventy-seventh congress dies. Blu
the GOP-ers and conservative
Democrats are awake 10 this con
nderstion and they win probshl,
refuse TO enact anything except
Law designed TO keep down IN
cost Of living.
Republican members Of IN
house now wish they had heede'
whisperines Of the Martin-Ditte
<-1..~ 49, DroefHanf RAaaaral