The Washington times., 1915-02-01

tCOntfnue0 from F1fSt PaBe.)
brewing forces in other ways have been
calculated to get the business into bad
| odor with the public.
Beer People Assail Whisky.
| Retorting to these charges. the beer
| people declare that beer isn't the drink
that hurts folks; 1t isn't strong enough;
but whisky does the damage. and whis-
Ky is the stun that people are really
hghting.
The merits Of the quarrel between the
two wings of the liquor forces are not
so impressive as the fact that the dis
agreement exists. and that 1t has now
reached the point where prospect OF
political and propaganda cooperation
in future is gloomy. One Washington
man. who is In very close touch with
the liquor interests In their national
clared 1t a fact that the brewers were
done with the cooperation; they were
going to save their own hides II they
could, and do 1t by making the public
understand very clearly that beer isn't
what gets men in the police court.
The anti-saloon forces are watching
the developing differences among the
two factions OF their enemies with
cheerful unconcern.
We know there IL such q difference.
but we don't know how far It has pro-
eressed. said one anti-saloon ofi1cal
today. For several years we have been
hearing nearing intimations Of the situation.
Recently we have understood that the
wedge was driven In farther. when the
war-tax bill passed. putting another dol
lar on barrel OF beer while whisky
| escaped.
| Put Something Over
| The beer people, as we gather. got
the feeling that Something had been put
over on them; and the dual alliance has
| been rather uncomfortable since. Then
the brewers announced that they would
have to make the saloons bear the ad-
ditional tax. and adjusted it so that in
iact the saloon men really claim they
| nave been taxed rather more than the
| Government imposition: in short, It is
| alleged that the whisky men escaped
entirely. and then the brewers shunted
their share OF the load Off cnto the
saloon keepers. and we gather that
about It."
One incident that is said to have ac-
CELEBRATED the Misunderstanding between
the brewers and the distillers marked
the California prohibition campaign last
fall: The state was TO vote on a gem
eral prohibition Amendment. in the
! south part OF the State Is a vast srape-
growing business, which turns out an
| immense amount OF light wine. This
| lawed II the amendment had been
adopted. 1t meant considerable to the
people engaged in IL.
Position of Wine Men,
Now. the brewers and the wine people
who appear to be making common
cause as against the whisky forces
declare that the whisky folks in hand
| ling the California campaign, hid behind
the skirts Of the wine makers: that
they pushed this idea Of destroying 9
Ereat industry into the forefront of the
| fight and brought no little embarrass-
| ment to the wine people. who didn't
care for the importance they were Civ
| en-. and thought they were made to
play the cat's-paw part.
Then mere IL said to be a somewhat
| similar situation in Ohio. where wine
producing interest. a big distilling, and
an important brewing Industry divide
| the prohibition forces: with the wine
! posed to flock by themselves and let
the hard liquor carry it's own troubles.
Between the factions. the prohibition
crowd declines to choose
| I'VE are fighting the saloon. as an in
| stitution." said one OF these leaders.
| I'VE hope our friends, the enemy, are
quarreling among themselves, and we
see occasional evidences that they are.
| In their industrial press and elsewhere
But they don't take us into their con-
! fidence.'
New Line of Attack.
Senator Works OF California. has in
| troduced a measure looking to prohi-
bltion Of liquors Of high alcoholic con-
| tent. 1t would let the beer and light
wines alone. This measure is based on
the theory of some OF the temperance
workers. that II the hard liquors could
| be isolated and fought by themselves.
| the sentiment against them would be
stronger than against all liquors. Tho
generally, to Subscribe to this thory.
| the line
That a prohibition amendment will
be subIpitted and pressed to = vote in
the next Congress Is coming to be ex-
pected on AZ sides: There have been
| would come nearer two-thirds vote
than 1t did last time.
With the resumption Of the fllbus-
ter today. all sorts Of predictions
were current as to the outcome. Sem
ator Kern and other Democratic lead
fiiibSster and force the ship purchase
oise Senator aS sG;saikifinser and other R.pub.
lican opponents CT the bin were EN- en-
feat the bill.
In any event. 1t is admitted by all
that week OF strenuous fighting Is
ahead. The Democrats plan further
all might sessions and as soon as they
think the proper moment has arrived
will resort to a continunus session.
Democrats Worried.
The fact that the governments Of
Great Britain. Russia. and France are
known to be opposed to the purchase
by this Government OF. interned Ger
man ships and that It has been made
clear there will be trouble ahead II
any bellgerent ships are bought, is
causing much worry to the Demo-
are unwilling to amend the bill to
prevent buying belligerent ships. be-
| cause they. fear that they would be
criticised by German-Americans for
amending it. They realize. too, that
the bin would command more votes
senator John Sharp williams has
been figuring. up the cost Of the tli-
long speech OF Senator Smoot Friday
night cost the Government $225. 900
in printing bills and stenographers'
| fees. He estimates the total cost of
| the flibuSfer tO date to he about