The Washington times., 1913-02-07
WET AND DRY WAR
DUE To Be FOUGHT
NHOUSE TOMORROW
Special Rule for Consideration
Of Webb Bill Puts Issue
Squarely Up to Members.
Continued from First Page.)


shape II means an alignment of the
forces between the vets and the
''drys," and many a member will take
his stand with fear and trembling.
Forced To Face Issue.
The Rules Committee of the House
met today and informally considered
the Webb bill, and the demand OF its
author for a special rule making II
privileged. The bill cannot be reached
without a special rule, and the pestered
Rules Committee had to face the issue.
A formal vote was postponed until
late this afternoon, but IL Is learned
that a special rule is assured, and the
House may as well prepare for a pro-
hibition fight tomorrow.
The Webb bill is entitled "a bill to
divest intoxicating liquors of their
interstate commerce character In GER
tain cases" The provisions OF the
measure are as follows:
That the shipment or transportation,
In any manner or by any means what
soever. of any spirftuous. .vinous. malt
ed, fermented or other Intoxicating
liquor of any kind, from one state:
Territory, or . strict OF the United
States, or place non-contiguous to but
subject to the jurisdiction thereof. into
any other State. Territory. or District
tiguous to but subject to the jurisdic-
tion thereof. or from any foreign coun-
try into any State, Territory or ID s.
trict of the United States, or place
noncontiguous to but subject to the
Jurisdiction thereof. which said spiritu-
GUS, vinous. fermented. matted or other
Intoxicating liquor is intended by any
person interested therein to be received,
possessed, or kept, or In any manner
used. either In the original package or
otherwise, in violation Of any law OF
such State. Territory, or District OF
Gus thereto but subject to the turisdic-
ton thereof. is hereby prohibited"
Aimed at "Blind Tiger"
The bill Is intended TO break ur the
blind tiger traffic IN dry Ststes, and
would have the effect Of prohibiting
the movement from one State TO an
other of liquor Consigned to a person
who proposes to sell IL In violation OF a
State law.
AS the bill Is now drawn, 1t would
not prevent a person In prohibition
State from receiving liquor for his per-
sonaI use, but the fellow who gets a
case IL ltquor from wet" territory and
then proposes of II In dry territory
VIII have his orcer untitled after the
Webb bill passes.
There is also the prospect that the
bill may be SO amended In the House
or Senate as to prohibit altogether the
interstate shiument of liquor into
prohibition state, no matter for what
use such liquor is intended.
Some of the more radical temperance
advocates in both houses are insisting
that LIQUOR should be divested entirely
of its Interstate commerce character
and should not be handled in Interstate
commerce when Is consigned 10
State or municipality which has gone
dry.
Senate May Go Further.
The webb bill was reported favor
ably by the Judiciary Committee Of the
House early this week. That committee
failed to include a penal clause of a
provision for the confiscation OF liquor
prior to it's receipt by a person al
legged to have purchased II for illegal
purposes, but the bill as drawn does
not contain language sufficient % 70 pre-,
the House. and there Is the probability
that Congressman Hobson, or some
other temperance advocate, will en-
deavor to force a record vote on amend
ments of more drastic nature.
There is also the probability that
the Senate, which acts on similar
bill next week. may go. step further,
and that the two bodies may go 10
conference on a measure still more
obnoxious to the distilling interests and
more gratifying to the prohibitfonists
The prospects, at any rate. are su;-
ficient to adarm those members VINO
do not want to go on record on the
prohibition question in any shape.
II the Rules Committees special or
der precludes amendment TO the bill
there will be at hot old time" In the
House when the Webb bill Is called
up. II amendments are permitted there
will be a prohibition fight staged which
has had no equal since the barroom in
the Capitol building was ordered dis
continued