PROHIBITION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18282, 18 December 1919, Page 10

PROHIBITION.

POSITION IN AMERICA. \ By Teslegraph—Press Association—Copyright Router’s Telegrams. WASHINGTON, December 15. The Supreme Court’s decision means that millions of gallons of intoxicants stored throughout the country, and valued at £200,000,000, will be nearly a total loss unless peace is proclaimed before constitutional prohibition becomes effective. The ‘Government will lose £100,000,000 sterling in revenue from whisky alone unless the ban is lifted. The decision means the clamping down of the lid again wherever it was lifted by the Federal Court injunctions, and subjecting all who sold intoxicants to prosecution. The decision does not settle whether 75 per cent beer - can be sold under the war-time prohibition. (A previous message from Washington, published) yesterday, says:—Wartime prohibition has been held to be constitutional according to the United States Supreme Court, and prohibition will accordingly bo effective until the constitutional amendment making prohibition permanent becomes operative. This finding ends the recent dry spell.)

THOUSANDS OF SALOONS ’ CLOSING.

By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. United Service. (Received December 17, 7.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, December 10. The Government has notified distillers that the last date on which export will be permitted is January 16, when the constitutional prohibition/ amendment will be enforced. A million gallons of whisky is being rushed to the seaboard for export. Thousands of saloons in Chicago and New York are closing.

LIQUOR INTEREST’S LOSSES. . (Received December 18, 1.35 a.in.) NEW YORK, December 16. The Washington correspondent of the “ New York Times ” states that the Agricultural Committee of the House of Representatives has tabled a resolution to repeal wartime prohibition, thus destroying the hopes of the antiprohibition forces. Liquor interests estimate that tuey will lose 1.600,000 dollars because of their inability to dispose of huge liquor stocks before aJnunry 16, 1920, when the prohiiton amendment comes into force. They contemplate entering a olaim against the United States Government for damages. Some hope is held out that the Supreme Court may declare the prohibition amendment properly ratified, thus setting aside permanent prohibitum