Evening star., 1914-12-22
Petition From 5000, 900 Persons.

anu tHdt Ir!eZe OIL white ribbon petit
tions had been hung upon the gallery
rails.
Petition From 5000, 900 Persons.
In his little four minute speech, which
merely foreshadowed his longer speech
due later in the day, Representative
Hobson. with his arms outstretched,
stood at the climax of his great fight
against the thing he calls "the liquor
trust" and told the House that what
he and his followers want is a scientific
treatment of great organic evil.
See those petitions on the walls?
lion people, which is twelve times as
many people as have ever petitioned
this or any other government for any
one thing" he said.
IF the details of this resolution are
not satisfactory" he said" let US amend
it. What we seek is scientific rem
edy for a deep-seated scientific organic
disease. We see a disease which is de-
bauching our youth, through the ma
tional organized liquor traffic, IN its
search for profits. And we seek a
remedy"
Support for the rule and opposition
to the resolution was expressed by
Representative Lenroot of Wisconsin.
He said the states had full power over
the. liquor question "and only small
minority bad passed prohibition laws"
Preliminary Skirmish.
The preliminary skirmish was theo-
retically over the Cantrill rule to make
the Hobson anti-liquor amendment
privileged. In reality it was but cur
tain raiser for the big fight, and prac-
tically every one who spoke in the two
hours allotted for discussion on the
rule hit their heaviest blows either for
or against the main issue-liquor
Representative Cantrill of Kentucky,
himself opposed to prohibition, yet
author and defender of the rule which
enabled the House to get d vote on
this big question, called the Hobson
measure "a revolution-not a resolu-
ton
The fight opened by an explanatory
talk of a few minutes duration by
Representative Henry of Texas. chair
ported the rule, but is opposed to pro-
hibition as expressed by the Hobson
a amendment
Following him came Representative
Campbell of Kansas, dry state The
stanch republican attacked liquor with
considerable fire and spoke of the eco
nomic effect of the czar's ban on vodka
in the present European crisis. He
also had read the kaiSer's recent anti
liquor speech to the German naval
cadets.
Does the gentleman believe the kai-
sers admonition for self discipline
was an argument for prohibtion?"
asked Representative Bartholdt of Mis-
souri,
II do
Rather does it seem to be an argu
ment for temperance and not prohib1-
ton" said the Missouri man.
This is the most Incorporate meas
ure that could be devised" said Repre-
sentative Cantrill of Kentucky as he
favored his own rule, but attacked
prohibition by constitutional amend
ment. ut is unjust and undem ocratic.
The prohibition movement has fostered
blind tigers, and worse. / for one will
not permit any state to wipe out
$3.50, 100000 worth of property in my
own state without compensation. The
issue must be left to the state itself.
Kelly Attacks Liquor Interests.
| II was an attack by Representative
Kelly of Pennsylvania upon the liquor
| interests which drew the trst applause
from the galleries:
Congress-" said he, should pass this
resolution, because it places the liquor
| question where it belongs-squarely
| before the people. Personal liberty is
the law of the jungle-the strongese
| oyercomeS the weak.
! The vote on the Cantrill rule, which
| was taken shortly before 1 o'clock,
| was to allow the Hobson amendment
to come up Immediately.
| The Hobson amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States prohibits
| the sale, importation or manufa cture
| of liquor. 1t requires two-thirds of the
| House vote, 2s6 at present. for
| passage.
| Representative Lindquist of Michigan
| said: "The destructive wars of Europe
could never wreck the future progress of
| the nation as can the curse which we
| are fighting here today. Never has there
| been such a call to serve humanity.
Never has there been AN issue before this
| House that demanded a truer expression
of the highest type of patriotism
| Representative Pou of North Carolina,
| speaking against the rule, said
| Il believe We are lighting the fires of
| controversy which will burn in this
country for generation. In my judg-
| ment, there is not man now in this
hall who will be alive when the last
state ratities this amendment
| Mr.. Pou said he favored prohibition
but believed the state is the largest eff