January 10, 1942

MOONSHINE RETURNS?
Distiller Order May Cause Bootlegging
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Office of Production Management (OPM) this week ordered the nation’s distilleries to convert sixty per cent of capacity to ethyl alcohol for military uses. On the heals of this order, congressmen from Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana—three of the top distilling states—expressed concern this will result in a resurgence of bootlegging and moonshining. The distilling industry, however, predicted the worst-case scenario would be a shortage of gin and blended whiskey. The industry spokesman stated theses products require spirits currently produced in distilleries that may need to switch to war production. Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana produce approximately seventy-five per cent of the nation’s whiskey.

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