LIQUOR SHORTAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1933, Page 5

LIQUOR SHORTAGE

AMERICAN PLAN

TO SELL ILLEGAL HOLDINGS

(United Press Association- -By Electric

Telegraph^—Copyright.)

WASHINGTON, December 16

The liquor control officials are considering a novel plan to eliminate the shortage in the legal stocks: Under it, a truce of a few days would be declared during which illegal holdings of liquor/ could be offered ior sale to legitimate dealers. The terms would be “cash and no questions asked, " the Government testing the liquor and collecting ..one dollar ten cent s • gallonage taxi After the truce;' the revenue officers would be relentless in searching iout and prosecuting those still violating the law. ■„; ~

It is estimated that there is .as much as fifty, million gallons illegally held. The problem of keeping, it, off the market is considered almost impossible unless some,, sort of a compromise is effected. Approval of the plan by the President is contingent on public ap-., prcval of > such an evasion of the law by the Government; itself. The Federal alcohol control administration announced on Friday that the temporary quota for French wines j has been increased following on the French .Government’s decision to give,Reciprocal ion United iStates,. .apples,, and pears. The original fonr r ,monthsr : quota figure given France was 786,000. gallons, the majority, being wine and the balance brandy.

The Democratic. . members of . the ways and means committee are described as strongly inclined towards inserting in the proposed Act a provision to give the President -broad powers to enter on bi-lateral trade agreements with the liquor ' exporting- countries, but barring such agreements with the nations that are delinquent in their war debt payments.

PACIFIC COAST RUM RUNNING

CHALLENGE TO .GOVERNMENT.

WASHINGTON.

’, December 15

Tile Government has ordered the navy to ' co-operate with the coastguard in,stopping rum running on the Pacific Coast. This step has . been taken in reply to ivhat .the Government regarded as a challenge to itslaw enforcement facilities by a freighter lying ..off the Californian (coast with a liquor cargo. A firm of shipping agents telegraphed, to the Government that the . British freighter “Mogul’’ is lying there off the west coast laden tyith (approximately forty thoUaaiid( bases of Canadian end European liqhors. They desired her entry to Los Angeles t<> place .tins merchandise in a warehouse,, tq'have it subject to .sale In accordance . with, liquor import. quyt« ns, The message declared that if the cargo were landed, smuggling would cease in six months, and that otherwise the liquor was destined to be landed illicitly. Tile Government, in rejecting this offer, declared that it prepared to guard all of its coast against rum running.