Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-21


bill of legislation of such far-reachins
consequence, which has not been even
considered in the House, was taken into
account.
The result was that members Of the
House held frequent conferences during
the morning to try to agree upon some
course of action when the District bill
comes up.
Ready for a Test.
Some Of the more radical prohibition
lists were in favor Of putting the issue to
a test and calling for a record vote on
the straight-out proposition Of accepting
or rejecting the Jones-WOrks bill. They
relied upon the timidity of members on
an Out-and-out test vote and expressed
confidence in being able to get a ma
jority of members to support the meas
ure.
Others who are in sympathy with the
general proposition to make the excise
law more stringent and to decrease the
number of license saloons, with an all
round tightening-up Of regulations, but
who want to see the object accomplished
and not lost through what they regard
as fmpracticable measures which would
defeat the general purpose, counseled
moderation.
1t was suggested that the best thing
to the conferees, but the prohibitionists
were unwilling to do that; they wanted to
try out the question Of prohibition once
for all and stand or fall on the jones'
Works bill
Suggest Compromise.
Then the moderationists suggested a
substitute as compromise. 1t was pro-
posed that in lieu of the Senate amend
ment, carrying the Jones-Works BILL the
conferees be instructed to offer a propo-
sition substantially along this line:
First, that no licenses for barrooms
shall be issued for new places until the
ratio between barroOmS and the num-
ber of Inhabitants shall reach one in a
thousand mot including motel licenses).
The location of saloons would be left to
the excise board, and by the operation OF
natural causes would locate them away
from the residence sections, ii is claimed.
Second. to increase the license fee at
the rate of S1VU annually. beginning next
November, until the retail license reaches
$1,JvO, and increase in the same ratio the
wholesale license until it reaches 500.
Plan Generally Discussed.
This plan was submitted to the radical
prohibitionsts and was discussed gen.
orally by members. The most intense in
terest was manifested in the subject.
and, indeed. was the main topic of in
formal discussion i'm cioakrOoms and
wherever members gathered, as it was
realized that in a few hours the issue
would be presented in the House. The in
tention to bring the District bill in as
soon as the sundry civil is disposed OF
was Informally announced
Meanwhile the District bill was resting
with the appropriations committee.
whittier it had been sent late yesterday
afternoon. Mr.. Burleson, just before ad-
journment yesterday, asked unanimous
consent to disagree to the Senate amend
ment and send the bill to conference, but
objection was interposed by Mr.. Willis
Burleson's Activities.
Speaker Clark then under the rule. re-
ferred the bill to the appropriations COM
mittee. Mr. Burleson introduced a rule to
be brought in by the committee on rules,
providing for sending the bill to confer
ence, but upon second thought this morn
ing requested the committee on rules to
withhold action on the rule until he could
make another effort to dispose OF the mat
ter by unanimous consent in the House
The committee on appropriations author
lied him to move to disagree to all the
other Senate amendments. including the
public utilities, and send them TO confer
ence.
T. G. Dinwidde and l.. A. Baker of
the Anti-SaiOon League were at the Capt.
tol all afternoon working in the interest
of the Senate amendment. They were de-
cidedly opposed to the compromise sug
gested, and said that they would urge
their friends in the House to push the is
sue to the utmost.
Both Are Jubilant
They jubilant.y claimed that the parma
mentary situation was all in their favor,
as it would probably call for a record
vote somewhere in the proceedings on
the plain question of accepting or reject
ing the Senate amendment. They said 1t
Is now too late to talk Of compromise,
and that having the whip hand, through
the parliamentary possibilities, they pro-
pose TO maintain II.
They express the feeling that the COM
mittee on appropriations could not avoid
bringing the bill into the House some
time and once up for consideration there
was but one way to avoid voting on a
motion to concur in the Senate amend
ment.
The one way is this: IL the advocates
cur in the amendment that motion would
be voted on first, unless a motion is inter
posed to concur with an amendment"
the same being the proposed compro-
down the vote would recur on the mo-
ton to concur and II that were carried
the conferees would be bound by instruc-
tions to make no change in the amend
ment as it was adopted by the Senate
Everybody was at sea on the situation,
as no poll of the House has been made
to ascertain whether the majority santi-
ment favors a compromise or leans to
the Senate amendment.
Late this afternoon Mr.. Burleson said
he probably will not bring the District
bill into the House until
after the naval appropriation bill has
been considered. 1t is expected to con-
clude the sundry civil bill this afternoon
and follow with the naval bill.
This program, if carried out, would
postpone the crisis on the District bill
for n dav or two and allow further con-