Business: Rum Rush

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Prices. It costs about $1.50 to make a case of whiskey (three gallons). Barreling, bottling, labeling and aging add about $6. The present Federal tax of $1.10 (which will probably be upped) a gallon adds $3.30. To this total production cost of $10.80 a case must be added the mark-up of middleman and distributor. For some time to come the retail price of reasonably good whiskey will be around $30 a case. Testifying in Washington last week, distillers said they could retail blended whiskey for $1.50 a quart but they did not specify the quality. Most whiskey men believe that in a few years even good aged whiskey will be as low as $1 a quart. Good Scotch will probably not go under $35 per case. Gin will probably retail for $1 to $1.50 per quart.

Demon, The new liquor business is not a rebirth of the old. Clearing the two is more than Prohibition. The War and post-War period so rusted the old machinery that even the base castings had to be scrapped. Liquormen know they will be exposed to fierce public criticism. What got under their skins at the code hearings last week was Washington's bland assumption that they were totally incapable of selfdiscipline. They were convinced that, if given a chance, they could push whiskey into a respectable place high in big business circles. Seton Porter and his associates were keenly aware of their social responsibilities. For his own company, as No. i whiskey man, he cherished the hope that it might some day have the swank of Britain's DCL. Competition would be terrific and rum was a Demon but all he wanted was a fair opportunity to saw the horns off his beast.