Evening star., 1944-06-21
VIA Attacks Renewal
0fWhiskyProduction,
Citing Corn Shortage
By JAMES Y. NEWTON.


War food officials today de-
scribed as very ill-advised," in
view of the corn shortage, the
action of the War Production
Board in releasing the Nations
distilleries from war work in
August SO that they will be able
to make beverage liquor.
War Food Administrator Jones is
understood to have said he was not
consulted in the WPB decision, and
he and others in VIA were de-
scribed as "irate."
Food officials met today to decide
what action they will take. officials
took the position that the grain
situation Is still too tight to permit
diversion to purposes other than
food.
These officials point out that
WA in April ordered corn in 125
counties of the Midwest cornbelt set
aside for Government purchase so
that industrial processing plants
could obtain 10000 900 bushels nee
essary to assure operation through
out the year. Although the 60-day
freeze" order expires Saturday, less
than so per cent Of the corn has
been purchased. The freeze" prob
ably will be extended.
New Alcohol Estimates.
Chairman Donald M. Nelson OF
the War Production Board an
nounced yesterday that the facii-
ties of the Nations distillers would
not be needed for making industrial
alcohol in August. Mr.. Nelson said
new estimates of alcohol for war
use this year are now 20,0O0,OO0
gallons less than anticipated, largely
because requirements OF the syn
thetic rubber program have been
lowered.
While Mr.. Nelson did not say the
distillers would make beverage alco-
hol in August, they are free to do
so unless denied grain. 1t would take
positive action on the part of VIA
to deny grain to the distillers, since
the only grain supply under control
is the corn in the 125 Midwest coun-
ties.
Corn and rye are the principal
sources of beverage spirits. 1t was
estimated that the August output Of
the distilleries would be about |
1000, 900 to 5000, 900 of 100 proof
alcohol. This would mean from
%, 900 900 to $4,000, 900 gallons trans
lated into whisky or gin.
While 1t Is not contemplated that
corn will be used by distillers during
the August holiday" the use Of
other grains may affect the feed and
food supply.
Members of the Senate's Liquor
Shortage Investigating Committee,
meanwhile, applauded the Nelson
announcement of a distillers' "holi-
day" They urged that stricter
Government controls be placed on
the distribution of beverages to off,
set the "bootleggers" and BLACK
marketeers."
Tragic" Says Bryson.
But from Representative Bryson,
Democrat of South Carolina, author
of the long pending wartime prohi-
hitien bill, came the statement that
"tfis country will be shocked by the
announcement
"It is tragic. he said, "thatsat a1
time when we are trying to feed
not only our own people but the
people of other nations that we
should use vital substances for
liquer" ,@@ -se
In New York, Kenneth s. Baxter.
executive director of the Confer
ence of Alcoholic Beverage Indus
tries, said "the only people to whom
1t (the announcement) will not be |
good news are the black marketeers
and the bootleggers who have fat
tened on the whisky shortage" |
Report Soon to Be Public.
Senator McCarran, Democrat, Of
Nevada, chairman Of the committee |
which for several months has inves-
tigated the liquor shortage. said his
group soon will make public its re-
port, which recommended, besides !
the release of alcohol for blending |
purposes, Tightening of alcohol tax
enforcement activities and control |
of distribution above the retail level |
The alcohol or whisky that distil-
lers will be able to make in their
holiday" will amount to about 25
per cent of a years normal supply.
1t was believed many distillers will
make straight alcohol to be used
for blending so that stocks of old
whisky could be stretched, while
others will make whisky.
Mr. Nelson's decision to release
distillers from manufacture of in
dustrial alcohol in August was said
to have the approval of War Motili-