The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-12
BOTH SIDES GLAD
WEbbB|LL ISSOON
TO BECOME A LAW
Lawrence Explains How the
Measure Will Make DRY"
Territory DRY"
JUDGE TELLS WHY
"ANTIS" ARE PLEASED
Sessions Says 1t Protects States
Rights Policy and Is Step For
ward in the Cause of
Prohibition

The passage through Congress of the
Webb anti-shipping bill has met with the
approval of prohibitionists and anti-pro-
hibitionists in Birmingham, and it seems
that for once, on a certain measure. the
two factions are welded together In peace
and concord.
The prohibitionists are elated in that
territory which is dry" or might be
dry" as a result of the exigencies of
the future, will be- in reality, dry" The
anti-prohibitionists on the other hand,
are satisfied for two reasons. The first
is their belief that any territory which
is dry" as a result of the majority
vote of the people of that territory should
be dry" The second is based on their
belief that if the bill will, in reality,
make territory "dry" the territory which
is now nominally dry will become
wet and little territory in the future
will dare to pretend that it desires to be
dry"
Anti-prohlbitionists in words. are smil-
gia and Tennessee. both of which years
ago adopted prohibition, and both of
which are so wet that a battleship
might float up the streets of either.
Thomas J. Judge, member of the legis-
lature from this county, is one of the
"antis" who expressed their satisfaction
THE people have always needed he
said, IAN act of Congress which Will
have sufficient force to make dry the
territory which votes dry The Webb
bill is drastic. Amendments providing
for the shipping of liquor for private
consumption, and even for the communion
service or sacramental use, were voted
down. And il the people of this state
are made to realize that in the future
| prohibition, instead of being farce as
it has been heretofore, will in a measure,
at least. prohibit, there will be no pro-
hibition, even in name, in Alabama again
"A great many men who voted for pro-
hibition in the past, would not have so
voted had they believed that the prohibit
ton they sought would deprive them of
| liquor to drink. For some prohibition
lists, as we all know, are not adverse to
swiggling in a dark corner A great many
of them believe ardently in prohibition
for the other fellow
eIf the Webb bill is constitutional and
does not contain a joker which will rem
der it ineffective, watch the haste with
| which Georgia and Tennessee will get
| into the wet column. And although a
statewide prohibition bill might be passed
through the Alabama legislature some of
these days. it could not possibly be sus-
tanned by popular vote.
Lawrence Explains Bill
The Webb anti-shipping bill. which has
passed both the national Senate and
House and now awaits the signature of
the President is, as has been stated, thor
oughly satisfactory TO prohbitionfsts, ac-
cording to interviews gathered from local
leaders in that cause yesterday. Some
of those seen, however, We're not entire
ly familiar with the measures provisions.
but Superintendent Brooks Lawrence Of
the Anti-Saloon league of Alabama has
kept in cose touch with the situation and
said
TT should be understood in the begin
ming that the Webb bill is no compromise.
1t is thoroughly satisfactory to the pro-
hibitionists. It is kindred to the Kenyon
Shepherd bill in every respect and we
are lust as we'll satisfied with the one
as the other. In fact, Mr.. Kenyon was
a member of the House when the original
bill was introduced and there was talk
at the time of calling both measures the
Kenyon Shepherd Webb bill but this was
thought too bunglesome, and they were
introduced separately.
Will Be Effective
'.The Webb bill is long step in enforc-
ing prohibitions 1t prohibits an inter-
state shipment into any dry territory,
whether that territory be a ward, city,
county or state, and whether such terri
tory has become dry by local option or
special legislation.
There is no exception made in the case
of liquor shipped for private consumption
OF course, the Inference Is that a mans
cor nstitutional right would permit him TO
get a shipment for private use, but it Is
going to be very embarrassing.
Express Companies Careful
.'JJnder the Webb bill the railroad and
the express company are made a party
to the transaction, and they will have to
protect themselves Thus If a dozen
quarts of liquor were offered 10 the ex-
press company in Louisville for shipment
to Roanoke, Ala. for instance, the ex-
press company would require proof that