Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-09
PARTY LINES DlSREGARDED
Eight Amendments to Webb Meas.
ure Are Voted Down.
MUCH ORATORY INDUCED IN
Women in Galleries Make Audible
Comments and Contribute Some
Kid Glove Applause.

afternoon on the Webb bill to prevent
the interstate shipment Of liquor into
states which have voted themselves dry
and at a few minutes of 6 passed the
measure by a vote of 24O to g. with five
members voting present Party lines
went all to smash during the roll call
for democrats and republicans voted to-
gether to pass the bill. Previous to the
| final vote eight amendments to the bill
were struggled over. and the men behind
the bill succeeded in voting them all
down. so that the Webb bill was passed
exactly as presented TO the House.
The fireworks Of the morning hours,
while the House was involved in a merry
war over the rule to allow the bill to
come up for discussion were not SO evil
dent during the three hours debate on
the bill itself. although there was plenty
of oratory of the southern variety. as
we'll as some from New England. the far
west and from along the Wabash
Women Crowd Galleries.
The arguments presented in the speech
making were all familiar to enemies and
friends of the measure, and the galleries
were crowded with representatives from
majority in the galleries. and at times
could not restrain themselves from max
ing audible comment and not infrequently
did they attempt q little kid glove ap-
plaud.ng
The Webb bill is in itself very simple.
1t divests intoxicating liquors Of their
int rstate commerce character in certain
cases. 1t bears no penalty. 1t says that
t.
unlawful.
\ dozen amendments. arose to con-
front the bill as soon as ii was read.
and some of these died an early death.
Representative Shirley Of Kentucky pre-
sented an amendment which scared the
friends of the bill for minute. for he
threw a two line amendment into the
House which by taking out word or
two from the bill would mean that the
bill was framed to prevent tire interstate
shipment of pretty nearly everything,
cigarettes. cocaine, convict-made goods,
firecrackers and anything that is pro-
hibited in any single state.
Characteristic Ruling by Clark.
Representative Hobson. In his haste 20
prevent this amendments passage fell
into laughing SO heartily that 1T nearly
cost him his point. but he made it and
the amendment went out. During this
part of the debate Speaker Clark made
a characteristic ruling. Some Of the fine
point lawyers were arguing away at
great rate as to what really constitutes
an Intoxicating liquor. The Speaker stood
It as long as he could, and with bang
of the gavel decided that Anything that
makes a man drunk is Intoxicating. Pro-
ceed with the bill
The first amendment offered Dy Repre-
sentative BlackmOn of Alabama was to
prevent bOotlegsinS and blind tigers ana
to bar persons from receiving liquor for
personal use who have been convicted OF
violating state laws Nothing in this
amendment or in the bill at any place
prohibits the shipment of liquor to fami-
lies for private use. The men behind the
BILL led by Representatives Clayton and
Webb, decried the amendments. saying
that any added legislation would defeat
the bill and make 1t useless.
Proposes Fine and Imprisonment.
Representative Davis of West Virginia
offered two amendments. One provided
fine and Imprisonment for violations:
the other excepted in specific terms wine
for sacramental use or for personal use.
To the latter amendment Representative
Saunders of Virginia also added an
amendment excepting the personal use
exemption from having weight as against
any state or community laws. All of
these were voted down. but Mr.. Davis
held the House for half an hour on his
first amendment. which went out to the
tune of 21i to IS Representative Jack
son of Kansas had an amendment to
keep courts from issuing injunctiOns
against state officers or police officers
who condemned liquor shipped into a dry
state 1t was lost on loud chorus of
No" Representative Helgeson's amend
ment was practically new bill giving
the state the right to seize liquor the
minute il crossed into dry territory. Rep
resenta tive SABBATH wanted to except Wine
and beer. and Representative Mann had
a Joke amendment which would have
rendered the bill so wide in operation as
to prohibit the shipment of milk or
lemonade.