COMMITTEE ON TERRITORIES,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Washington, D. C., January 10, 1917.

The committee met at 10 o'clock a. m., Hon. William C. Houston (chairman) presiding.

The CHAIRMAN. Gentlemen of the committee, we have met this morning for the purpose of considering the bill to provide for prohibition for the Territory of Alaska. Mr. Wickersham is the author of the bill before the committee for consideration to-day. Judge Wickersham, if you are ready to present the matter the committee will hear you.

STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES WICKERSHAM, A DELEGATE IN CONGRESS FROM THE TERRITORY OF ALASKA.

Mr. WICKERSHAM. Mr. Chairman, the bill before the committee is H. R. 19188, introduced by me on December 19, 1916, and I ask to have it put into the record at this point.

(The bill is as follows:)

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That on and after the first day of January, Anno Domini nineteen hundred and eighteen, it shall be unlawful for any person, house, association, firm, company, club, or corporation, his, its, or their agents, officers, clerks, or servants, to sell, manufacture, or dispose of any intoxicating liquor or alcohol of any kind in the Territory of Alaska, or to have in his or its possession or to transport any intoxicating liquor or alcohol in the Territory of Alaska unless the same was procured and is so possessed and transported under a permit, as hereinafter provided.

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Wherever the term "liquor," intoxicating liquor," or intoxicating liquors is used in this act it shall be deemed to include whisky, brandy, rum, gin, wine, ale, porter, beer, cordials, hard or fermented cider, alcoholic bitters, ethyl alcohol, all malt liquors, and all other alcoholic liquors.

That any person, or persons, or any house, company, association, club, or corporation, his, its, or their agents, officers, clerks, or servants, who shall, directly or indirectly, violate the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than $300 nor more than $1,000, or shall be imprisoned in the Federal jail for a period of not less than thirty days nor more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.

SEC. 2. That before a pharmacist shall be authorized to transport pure alcohol for scientific or mechanical purposes or for compounding or preparing medicines, as provided by this act, he shall procure a permit for that purpose from the judge of the district court.

SEC. 3. That to procure such permit a pharmacist shall make and file with the clerk of the said district court a statement in writing under oath stating that he desires to transport pure alcohol for scientific or mechanical purposes or for compounding, preparing, or preserving medicines only, as provided by this act, and giving his name, the location of his place of business, a statement that he is a licensed pharmacist, that he is regularly engaged in the practice of his profession at the location named, and that he will not violate any provisions of this act.

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