AMERICAN LIQUOR

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 146, 18 December 1933, Page 9

AMERICAN LIQUOR

THE BOOTLEG HOLD-OVER

USED TO MEET SHORTAGE

IMPOSITION OF TAX

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. AVASHINGTON, December 16. The Federal Alcohol Control Administration is Considering a novel plan to remedy the shortage of legal stocks. A truce of a few days would be declared, during which illegal holdings could be offered for sale to legitimate dealers, on terms of "cash and no questions asked," the Government testing tho liquor and collecting 1 dollar 10 cents gallonage tax. After the truce revenue officers.would be relentless in searching out and prosecuting those who are still violating the law. It is estimated that there is as much as 50,000,000 gallons illegally held. It is considered to be almost impossible to keep it off the market unless some sort of compromise is effected. Approval of the plan by the President is contingent on public approval of such an evasion of the law by the Government itself. The Administration announced on Friday that the temporary quota for French wines had been increased substantially following the French Government's decision to give reciprocal tariff action on United States apples and pears. The original four months' quota figure given to France was 784,000 gallons, the majority wine and tho balance brandy. Democratic members of the AVays and Means Committee are described as strongly inclined towards inserting in the proposed Act a provision to give tho president broad powers to enter bilateral trade agreements with liquor-ex-porting countries, but barring such agreements with nations delinquent in war debt paympnts. Tho chairman (Mr. Doughton) of tho House AVays and Means Committee, which is drafting liquor legislation, stated that it is the definite intention of the committee to reduce the present five dollai/s a, gallon import tax on spirits hy at least a dollar, perhaps to 3 dollars 50 cents. The possible reductions in the wine schedules are not indicated. " "