Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-11
The Prohibition Prog ram
= washinston oorrssponasnos noston Transoript. :

- Washington OohNeHponuence EoHboh NNAnhNAAR"
wv NEITHER prohibition prohibits or not there is
w very good chance that the proposed national
amendment advocated by the prohibitionsts Will
be brought to vote in congress this year Leading
democratic politicians said 20 favor a vote on
grounds Of political expedieneey the idea being TO
eliminate the liquor question from the national cam
pagn OF 1916 and thus to avoid possible ernbarrass-
ment on this score. No other man than the new ma
ority leader OF the house. Claude Kitchin OF North
Carolina, Il IL said. will Introduce the old Hobson
amendment In Mr.. Ktchin finds It inadvisable
at the last moment TO perform this task for the
"drys." they will probably fall back upon Chairman
Webb OF the judiciary committee. Both webb and
itchin strong prohibitionists and both are adj
ministration men.
It is asserted that the whisky interests will not OPP
pose the resolution stubbornly as they did last
year. but will their powder for, the fight In the
against the ratification of the amendment The
liquor interests believe they postpone the final
adoption OF the prohibition amendment for so many
years that It will become forgotten issue.
Ever since the the defeat Of the Hobson amend
year the officials Of the Anti-saloon League
OF America been busy lining up votes to put the
measure through the house at the coming session.
Now at last they believe they have the votes. From
close TO the league II learned recently
that Il will It's efforts in the Sixty fourth
congress upon two projects. One is the Hooson
amendment and the other Is measure to make the
District of Columbia prohibition territory. The league
believes will be able to put both measures through
Its officers feel that the real fight lies in the house.
where the margin is close. In senate they claim
to have than two-thirds majority.
It will require some inaneuvering to get the Dis
trct Of Columbia prohibition before congress-
The first will be to get II favorably reported
by the district committee, but that committee Is
evenly divided the wet and dry question and last
year the vets managed TO prevent the committee from
reporting such a measure II is possible, however
TO tack the district either the district ap
preparation bill or on TO any other general supply
xyhlc oh
failure get favorable action in the house will not
prevent the prohibitionists from taking It up in the
and thereby getting Il back in the house In
the form OF a senate amendment that can be taken
from the committee and disposed Of by the whole
house.
The prohibition leaders assert that the national
prohibition amndment will go through the house and
senate easily They that many OF the hold-overs
who voted wet have heard from their districts
and repentant and ready TO vote dry at
the first opportunity. Also they say that canvass
OF the members. mostly republicans, shows an
overwhelming sentiment among them In favor Of sub
hitting the question to the states in order to get 1t
out Of congress and for ALL These leaders have
been paying close attention 10 the activities OF the
opposition have concluded that the liquor inter
have about reached the point where they do not
want any further discussion of the liquor question
in congress- Ant-Saloon league officials think that
II the amendment is put through congress It
will be ratified by threefourths Of the states within
few years. The liquor interests take an opposite
view
It is pointed out that once amendment is ac-
tually submitted to the states II Is always before
them until adopted Thus, IT IS formally re-
jected in the that more than one-quarter Of
the states reject 1t at time because the action
Of the legislature be reversed subsequent
casions Through the process Of elimination, the
"drys" believe they soon concentrate the liquor
fight in a few states It H. already conceded that
the prohibtonists will be able to get their
reported by the judiciary committee. and the liquor
interests also concede that most Of the democratic
house leaders in favor of national prohibition.