The Washington times., 1915-04-24
New Bill Makes Liquor
Straight State Issue
Morrison of Indiana Announces He Will Introduce
Resolution Giving States Power Over Whisky
in Interstate Shipment.
BY JUDSON C. WELLIVER.

Announcement made today by Con-
gressman Martin A. Morrison Of In
diana assures that the big liquor fight,
now featured in all the forecasts as one
of the most significant and Dramatic is
sues Of the next Congress, will open on
the very frst day of the session. From
that time 1t will be pushed with all the
vigor that the various interests can put
behind it; and 1t will be more complex
than any other contest Of it's kind since
the national prohibition movement be-
came strong enough to constitute 1t
big national issue.
Mr.. Morrison announces that he will
introduce at the opening of the session
a resolution. looking to a constitutional
amendment, and also a bill looking to
a law, to give the States absolute power
over all liquors introduced into them by
interstate shipment
At the same time the Anti-Saloon
League will introduce its resolution for
national prohibition. generally known as
the Hobson resolution. There Is persist
ent report that the form of this latter
resolution will be considerably changed
in order to avoid uncertainties as to it's
effect. The anti-saloon forces. however.
have made no announcement as to their
purpose in this regard.
oSshAS 0uSctho"s
Lawyers have long insisted that the
Hobson resolution. II adopted by the
necessary three-fourths of the States.
would by no means settle the question
In the way that the prohibitionists want
1t settled. Some Of them go SO far as
to insist that it would breed numer-
Gus progeny OF troubles in connection
with the drafting and enforcement Of
legislation to carry its provisions into
1.
ton forces insisted during the last ses-
sion that they had the best legal advice.
and that their resolution said just what
they wanted 1t to say, and meant what
1t said
Congressman Morrison is deter
mined -prohibitionist. lawyer. and
the representative of a district in which
there is a good deal Of dry territory.
He believes that the National Govern
ment should not be mixed up in the
enforcement Of laws regulating the liq-
uor traffic further than II is now, and
beyond this he insists that every State
must be left the right to make this
policy for its own people and condi-
tons.
No Transportation.
Hence the Morrison resolution. II
provides simply against the interstate
transportation of liquors. leaving &c
every state to decide for itself whether
It will permit them to be manufactured
and sold within the State. Offered as
a substitute for the Hobson resolution
in the last Congress, 1t mustered forty.
one votes. in spite of the fact that II
had been very little advertised and was
little understood. Mr.. Morrison de
clared today that his discussions with
members OF the House had convinced
him that next time II comes up 1t viii
| have a much larger support. The exact
| text Of the Morrison amendment to the
| constitution is:
Sec. ]. The Importation of any spirit
.uous. matted. fermented, or other in
| toxicating liquors into any State Of thu
| United States. or into the District o
| Columbia. or into the Territory o
Alaska. from any other State. District
mestic or foreign, Is forever prohibited
Sec. 2. 1t shall be the duty of th'
| Congress. from time to time, to enac
| appropriate legislation for the effectiv'
enforcement of tho provisions of thi
article
Under this provision, liquor could no
be shipped across State line.
gives no consideration to the distinC
| ton between wet and dry States in thi
| regard. The wettest State in the Unioi
| could not import any liquors TO quencl
| It's thirst; II would have to produc
them at home.
Couldn't Buy At All.
If Illinois and Missouri We're the tw
wettest spots on the map, and neigh
| boring States, and If al! the whisk
| were made at Peoria and all the bee
at St. Louis, It would be impossible 70
| Illinois to buy any beer from st. Louis
or for Missouri to get any whisky from