Evening star., 1947-10-13
Nation S DistiIIeries
Fear New Restriction
After @-Day Closing
Afraid Public Opinion
Afraid Public Opinion
Will Force Extension
Of Grain Conservation
By Da,id Laurence

20 e1ACy icdSOa IIIdI tIlc 1dCLS dpout
the food shortage abroad indicate
q continuance of the need until the
next crop year. They fear public
opinion will be mobilized for an
extension of the shutdown on a
limited basis.
Meanwhile something of a panic
has struck the liquor trade gener-
ally. Apprehension that whiskies
may not be as readily purchased in
case lots has led dealers to food
the manufacturers with orders to
q point where these cannot be filled.
The producers say such dislocation
Is absolutely unnecessary and that
shortages will not develop unless
the complete shutdown is of in
definite duration. Agricultural De-
partment officials, too, say there is
no need for panic In the trade and
and claim that an abundance of old
whiskey stocks will be available for
long time.
Supply Held Limited.
The distilleries counter with the
statement that this is not so and
that the available supply of old
whiskey Is, relatively speaking
small and has been used as blend
with the neutral spirits currently
made with grain. If, of course, the
making of neutral spirits with grain
is not resumed, there may be short
ages. Several of the whiskey makers
say they will not use potatoes to
make alcohol.
Reports differ as to how much the
potato situation may have been a
factor in the shutdown. Agricul-
tural officials say potatoes are not
going to be in surplus. The other
side says the Department of Agri-
culture Is angling for greater use of
potatoes and that this is related to
the politics of potato-growing
States. The distillery men say that,
on the whole, very little grain is
going to be saved anyway and that
their own program Of so per cent
suspension spread over a longer
period would have conserved 20,000,-
600 to 25,000, 900 bushels, while they
doubt now, because of poor timing
If anything like the 100000 the
Government wants will be saved.
Mystery envelops the circum-
stances under which the so per
cent suspension program of the
industry was rejected Charles
Luckman of the Presidents food
committee at first accepted it a week
ago and then told the distillery
men rather apologetically that
after a conference with President
Truman, he had to insist on the
full suspension. Just who advised
the President is not disclosed ano
the distillery men do not accept as
valid the reason given-namely
that the grain had to be made
available Immediately. They say
the Government would have hao
all that it could handle of the
saving by spring. They claim there
was talk of psychological" reasons
for closing down the distilleries a.
an example to the country.
Foreign Distilleries Continue.
As for the charge that Canadian
and British distileries will continue
to operate and sell their products
inside the United States while
American companies cannot con-
tinue to manufacture, the admin.
istration says this cannot be helped
but that assurances have been giver
by foreign governments that grair
sent from this country will not be
used for liquor. The distillery people
counter with the statement that this
means merely rearrangement o.
domestic crops abroad.
Many OF the distillery people sus.
pect politics at the bottom Of the so.
day suspension. They say privately
that in certain dry" States, tht
administration will benefit by tn,
propaganda that it shut down tht
distilleries. The administration de.
nies this intent vehemently, arguing
that when Congress reconvene!
there would have been pressure fol
laws to shut down the distillerie!
and that doubtless "drys" woule
have been behind some Of thos.
proposals.
Administration men also point ou
that the industry will be in better
position before the public to resis
such proposals because they will
have co-operated and made flnancia
sacrifices to aid the food program
whereas resistance to it might hav'
produced restrictive laws.
Pressure Is Effective.
Among the larger distillers ther'
has been a reluctance to accept tn,
60-day suspension. Boards Of direc
tors are reported to have expressed
themselves with indignation, bu
the argument that clinched accep
tance was the statement that tn,
industry did not dare defy a man
date from the President. The pres
sure from the administration
therefore was effective.
Estimates vary as to how man,
workers will be thrown out of jobs
Some sources say not less thai
10000. Others put the figure a
high as 100000. Time alone viii
tell the answer to these estimates
but nobody yet has the answer a
to who is going to compensate tn
workers made idle or the companie
for their costs of maintenance
while their factories are shut. It
q novel experiment in what nigh
be called voluntary co-operatio,
with involuntary circumstances be
hind 1t.
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