The Commoner
VOL. 18, KO. 9
War Prohibition July 1, 1919; Beer Goes Dec. 1, 1918
President Wilson, tho United Stales senate and
Iho various administration war boards combined
to make September 6, 1918, a bad day for liquor
and the liquor interests.
September G, the Senato passed tho emergency
agricultural bill, carrying an appropriation of
$12,000,000, with its rider for national prohibi
tion from-July 1 next until the American armies
aro demobilized after tho war.
Almost simultaneously tho food adminstration
announced that, after a conference between the
Prooidont and representatives of tho Food, Fuel
and Railroad administrations and tho War In
dustries board, it had boon decided to prohibit
tho manufacture of beer in the United States
after Docombor 1 next. This, tho announcement
said, had been decided as a necessary war
moaflure.
Tho Sonate, on August 30, adopted tho Shep
pard substitute for tho Jones prohibition amend
ment to tho agricultural appropriation bill with
out a roll call. Tho main" provisions of tho Shop
pard substitute, which may bo found in another
column, arc:
Prohibition of tho manufacture of beer and
wino aftor May 1, 1919; prohibition of the sale
of alcoholic beverages of all kinds after Juno 30,
1919; authority to tho President to proscribo
prohibition zones around coal mines and muni
tions plants immediately.
Tho Senate, acting on tho Emergency Agri
cultural Appropriation bill, September G, decided
by a voto of 55 to 6 to retain the prohibition
rider after having passed the measure without
a roll call.
Tho bill now goes to tho Houso and because
of tho many amendments inserted by the senate it
undoubtedly will bo sent to conference. The con
sensus of prohibition leaders, however, was that
thoro will bo no difficulty in obtaining tho con
sent of tho Houso to tho prohibition rider and
that no objection will bo raised to it in con
ference. Prohibition loaders say they confidently expect
tho passago of tho bill by both Senate and Houso
means national prohibition for all timo to come.
They declare that, while the measure as it goes
to tho I-Iouaa provides for prohibition only after
tho demobilization of our armies that it will pro
bably require two years after peace to effect this.
By that timo, they declared, the necessary num
ber of states will havo ratified an amendment to
tho constitution calling for nation-wide prohibition.
BREWEIUES TO CLOSE DECEMBER J, 1018
A Washington dispatch, dated September 7,
follows: All breweries must close on December 1,
and beer and other malted drinks will disappear
from the market as soon as tho stock on hand
is exhausted.
A decree to that effect was issued Friday night
by tho food administration, with the approval of
President Wilson. Manufacturers of other
drinks, including mineral waters, were also
warned that tho demand for labor, transportation
? nCfaiiby Wftr, n(U8tries. Probably would result
in a further radical curtailment of their output.
As far as possible tho plants of the manu
facturers' thus affected would be used tor war
purposes. ttr
The decision which, it is believed by manv
would make beer an obsolete drink in this ,Yn
try within six or eight weeks after ho brew
eries close was mado after a conference attended
by President Wilson and members of the food
fue and railroad administrations. '
oS arf nIsln issued this statement:
On July G, brewers were notified by the tm.
administration that their coal consumption would
be reduced by 50 per cent pending the period If
exhaustion of materials that they had n process
and were given preliminary warnim Yw if '
might not be able to conTiU e?rVJia5S
at all after such exhaustion At tin tfm ?i
food administration directed the cessation at
further purchase of raw materials for maUng
mUvirofVnT ,th Pn"gand
.capacity of the nXXlirSXt
-. s?:tzTGGmS(?iG)
1 TEXT OF WAR PROHIBITION
0 MEASURE
r - - z
v
-v ... i it,,, tnvt f Mm ffhonnnrfl w
substitute amendment to the Emergency
Agricultural Appropriation bill which
0 passed the United States senate Septem-
ber G, 1918:
"That after June 30, 1919, until the,
conclusion of the present war, and there-
after until tho termination of demobil-
ization, tho date of which shall be deter-
mined and proclaimed by the President of
the United States, for the purpose of con-
serving the man power of the Nation and
to increase efficiency in the production of
arms, munitions, ships, food, and clothing
for the Army and Navy, it shall be unlaw-
ful to sell for beverage purposes any
distilled spirits, and during said time no
distilled spirits held in bond shall be re-
moved therefrom for beverage purposes
except for export. After May 1, 1919,
until the conclusion of the present war,
and thereafter until the termination of
demobilization, the date of which shall" be
determined and proclaimed by the Presi-
dent of the United States, no grains,
cereals, fruit, or other food product shall
be used in the manufacture or production
of beer, wine or other intoxicating malt
or vinous liquor for beverage purposes.
After June 30, 1919, until the conclusion
of the present war, and thereafter until
the termination of demobilization, the
date of which shall be determined and
and proclaimed by the President of the
United States, no beer, wine, or other
intoxicating malt or vindus liquor shall
be sold for beverage purposes except for
export. Tho Commissioner of Internal
Revenue is hereby authorized and direct-
od to prescribe rules and regulations,
subject to the approval of the Secretary t
of the Treasury, in regard tothe removal
of distilled spirits held in bond after June
30, 1919, until this act shall cease to
operate, for other than beverage pur-
poses; also in regard to the sale and
distribution of wine for sacramental,
medicinal, or other than beverage uses.
Aftor the approval of this act no dis-
tilled, malt, vinous, or other intoxicating
liquors shall be imported into the United
States during the continuance of the pre-
sent war and period of demobilization.
Any person who violates any of the
foregoing provisions shall be punished
by imprisonment not exceeding one year
or by fine not exceeding $1,000, or by
both such imprisonment and fine.
TTTcJf f' Vmt th0 Presont of the
United States be, and hereby is, author-
ized and empowered, at any time after .
the passage of this act, to establish zones
of such size as he may deem advisable
about coal mines, munition factories a.
shipbuilding plants, and such other I
plants for war material as may seem to
his opinion the creation of such zones is
necessary to. or advisable in, the prone?
prosecution of the war, and that he Is I
1 TiLXh0Tirl and cowered6 to I
f11 the sale, manufacture, or dis-
tribution of intoxicating liquors in such
zones and that any violation oft" Pre
sident's regulations in this regard shall
be punished by imprisonment for no
more than $1,000, or J y both such fifce
and imprisonment. e
"Provided however, That nothing in
tlafhntallbeC0"strued to Interfere
VS Wltn tnO nownr pnnfaKKA , a,
0000
lir-wrlnp- nnAraHono nf nil THnlo ni,..i.i ...
December 1, until further orders, and that ?
further unmalted grains be purchased for bw
ing purposes from this date.
"Tho food administration has been directed tn
issue the necessary regulations to this end
"In addition to the above these administration!
wish to warn the manufacturers of all beers an!
mineral waters that for this reason there will be
greater curtailment in fuel for tho manufacture
of glass containers, of tin plate for caps, of trans.
portation and of food products in such bever
ages." BREWERS FURTHER RESTRICTED
A Washington dispatch, dated September 17
says: Beer will be banished as a war-tlm!
remedy two montha earlier than has been planned
by a proclamation tho president will issue to
morrow. The proclamation will prohibit the use of grain
materials in the manufacture of beer after Oc
tober 1. An earlier presidential proclamation
fixed the date as December 1.
LIQUOR FORBIDDEN ON RAILROADS
By order of Administrator McAdoo, the sale
of liquor on trains or in railroad stations is for
bidden in a recent order. Tho "General Order
No. 39" follows:
"Washington, August 12, 1918. The sale ol
liquors and intoxicants of every character In
dining cars, restaurants, and railroad stations
under Federal control shall be discontinued Im
mediately. W. G. McADOO, Director General ol
Railroads."
portation to handle necessary Industrie
shortage of labor caused by the 'enlarged en t n?
the army operations, renders it necessary thai
NEW ORDER BY SECRETARY DANIELS
Secretary Daniels has gone a step further In
his efforts to increase the efficiency of the men
of the United States navy. He has just issued
a new general order against the serving or sel
ling of intoxicating liquors to officers and en
listed men of the navy, which, in addition to,the
previous regulations issued, covering restricted
zones around naval camps and stations, contains
the following provision:
"Outside of said zones alcoholic liquor, in
cluding beer, ale, and wino, either alone or with
any other article, shall not, directly or indirect
ly, be sold, bartered, given, served, or knowingly
delivered to any officer or member of the naval
forces within the United States, their territories
or possessions, or any place under their control,
except when administered for medical purposes
by or under the direction of a regularly licensed
physician or medical officer of the United States."
When Secretary Daniels first introduced his
anti-liquor measures in tho United States navy
he met with violent abuse and criticism, but he
stood his ground, and has lived to see the day
when his policies are receiving universal ap
proval. Under Secretary Daniels' administration,
the United States navy has attained the highest
peak of efficiency and every critic has been
silenced. Long life to Secretary Daniels!
TEN THOUSAND
(From tho New York Sun.)
We have not the means of verifying the
estimate of the brewers that 10,000 saloons' in
this city will go out of business next month he
cause of the Executive ban on beer, hut the
figure is round and fascinating and suggestive.
Ten thousand bartenders would be welcome in
essential industry, if not in the army.
Ten thousand hardwood bars could be turned
into gun stocks, ship's furniture and peace con
ference tables.
Ten thousand sets' of mirrors, placed in the
cantonments, would, adtl to the joy of the an
putting on his first suit of olive drab.
Ten thousand brass footrails would ho re
ceived by the shell factories with loud cheers.
Ten thousand groups of ''private stock" bot
tles could bo used as ketchup containers. .
Ten thousand bungstarters could be adapted
to shipyard use for the driving homo of wooden
keys. One of these interesting weapons rate"1
be sent to the Historical Society. , .
Ten thousand slates, after careful washing.
could be used In schools. u
Ten thousand vacated- saloons-what wouw
be the increased value, in money alone, or i"8
buildings in which they now nestle?
o&ft,
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