The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-06
Dry Leaders Push Committee
to Report Amendment for
Dry Nation. But Get No
Recommendations.
Won't Hold Bag
Says Committee
The Amendment on Liquor
Gives Congress Power to
Regulate Manufacture Of Evil
When Three-fourths States
Ratify 1t.

WASHINGTON. May 6.--Resolutiou
mants that have been the subject Of
agitation in the United states for years
were reported TO the house Of repre-
sentatives today by the judiciary com
n1ittee Of that body One Of the amend
nents contemplates national prohi hI-
tion of the liquor traffic. and the other
provides that suffrage shall he con-
Serfed on women
The committee made no recommen-
dation on either OF these big propo-
sails II simply submitted them for
such action as the house may see n 10
Rake.
Present Indications are that a vote
miil be forced in the house at this ses-
sion on the pE8kibitinn amendment.
Doubt is expressed that the senate.
even II the amendment IS adopted by
The house. win concur Al this time. @
II the Democratic leaders stand by
their guns there will he no action at
this session on the suffrage amend
rnent. At q caucus Of the house Demo-
Gratis. held early In the winter. a reso-
autiou was passed expressing II TO be
the sense Of the dominant or Ranlzatfon
that no action should be taken on equal
suffrage al THIS sasSton.
Both issues. though. are loaded
with the possibility Of political trou-
bic, ard there liz no telling what will
happen when congress- once begins to
feel the pressure Of organized cam
paigns.
There was an element OF hnmor
IN the situation that prompted the tu-
dietary committee 10 report the SUI
frage and prohibition amendment Fer
months surragists and advocates Of
t.st
~ see 10 Il that both reforms were
brought 10 vote without delay. In
nearly every instance "A reply was
gent that the judiciary committee had
not acted and that nothing could be
GORE unless that body made re.
port
Members OF the COMMITTEES, aroused
by criticism. directed toward them. de-
cided they would no longer hold the
bag
Aecordingly they threw the resolu-
ton into the house. and now X Is up
10 each member Of the house TO speak
for himself on these questions,
Congress Has Power.
The amendment relating 10 the liquor
srafTlc gives congress tho power to
Regulate the manufacture and sale Of
Intoxicating and other alcoholic liquors
on ratification of the amendment by
three fnurtbs Of the states. The suf-
frage provides that no citizen OF the
United States shall he deprived OF
the right 10 vote "on account Of sex.
The prohib ition amendment is pend
Ing In another form In the senate,
Whether ii will be reported in that.
hodv NAV, or may not depend upon
action hy the house, This amendment
particularly is cause Of great wcr-
ry on the part Of the senators and rep
resentatives WIN are candidates for re-
election this year. They regard II as
Unfortunate that the issue should have
been presented at this time, They really
had hoped that the Judiciary commit
zee OF the house Would In this instance,
live UP to its reputation of being
a Legislative morgue."
Despite the caucus action Of the
house Democrats in side-tracking the
suffrage amendment that question Is
by no means dead for the session. Its
advocates intend to press for action
with all the en@rgy for which they
IRE noted. and they are In an opti-
nnistfe frame of mind.
The suffrage amendment. In the form
in which II was reported by the house
committee today. was defeated in the
senate a month or two ago. 1t was re-
introduced IN the senate in a modi-
ned form was reported on April eth,
and Is now on the calendar awaiting
action.
Suffrage and prohibition supporters
are juhilant today; They predicted the
early contamination of the two re-
forms. They were Of the opinion that
congress would not erade the issue.
ana that the constitutional amendments
would he submitted for ratification to
.he states before the end of the year.