The Washington times., 1917-02-11
ARMISTICE ON IN
DRY BILL BATTLE
Committee Hearings on District
Prohibition Go Over Until
Tuesday.
IOckEYINa FOR POSITION
Anti-SaIoon Forces Fear Delay
May ImperiI Passage OF
Measure.
JocKEYING FOR POSITION

An armistice in the trench night
in setween the ''wets" and "drys"
on the House District Committee is
on until Tuesday The antis will
have their innings when the com
mittee reconvenes on its regular
N. citing day this week.
The "wets" remained suspicious to-
day about the move made by the
''drys" on Friday when Congressman
Barkley, author of the bill similar
nounced that the advocates of pro
hibition for the District had. no other
witnesses and didn't desire to take
up the time of the DistricC Commit
stee.
Ne Time Limit on Speeches.
The prohibitionists had used only
about three hours in supporting the
Sheppard-Barkley measure. A half
dozen advocates of prohibition, in
cluding officials OF the Anti-Saloon
League, were in the committee room
and in position to speak in behalf OF
a saloonless Capital
The committee had placed no time
limit on either side because of its
action in resolving to continue the
hearings until February 21.
The vote for the continuation of
= the hearings until that day was q
wet" victory. The "drys" wanted
to close up thd hearings and report
the bill to the House without recon-
mendation not later than February 16.
1t is undoubtedly true that the
prohibitionists in Congress and on
the sidelines in the prohibition fght
suspect that the 'wets" are trying
to jockey the Sheppard bill into an
unfayorable position near the end Of
the session.
Passage Grows DIfhcuIt.
The longer hearings are continued
by the District Committee the more
difficult it becomes to take up the
prohibition bill at this session. All
Congresses go out in a great furry.
There is excitement over appropria-
tion bills and conference reports and
only must" legislation has a chance
in the last two weeks of a session
Consequently the "drys" are some-
what peeved over the turn of affairs
in the District Committee and as
each day slips by the situation be-
comes more desperate from the stand
point Of the prohibitionist members.
However. the "wets" say they are
perfectly consistent Here is a vote
less community, they argue, about to
be made as dry as a desert and the
people are denied the right to say
yes or no. There is but one way
10 record the popular wiIl-to hold
hearings on the bill and obtain the
views of Washington residents.
Need BE No Exception.
They point out that the committee
has not hesitated TO hold hearings on
other legislation, such as taxation
reforms, the public ownership of
telephones, and police and iremen's
penSions-so why make an exception
Of the prohibition bill?
Just because this bill happens to
be a prohibition measure" said Con-
gressman Cary during the hearings
last week, ''is no reason that il should
be rushed through here in a few
hours hearings when we have given
days to hearings on other matters
and there has been no complaint"
"wets' and the "drys" having been
shown during the past week. the pro-
hibitionists may change their heavier
are during the next ten days and
concentrate upon the House Commit
tee on Rules. The antis expect Just
such a move. and Congressman Cary
closely. questioned Mr. Barkley on
Friday, when the latter Unexpectedly
announced that the advocates OF the
bill had closed their case.
Vets Scent New Move.
The 'wets" scented in this a move
TO go to the Rules Committee with
- request that the District Commit.
tee be discharged from further con-
sideration of the Sheppard bill. Mr..
Barkley's only comment was that NO
such move was under way "at pres
emit" or "just now" He declined to
make any promises about the future.
Should the prohibitionists go to the
Rules Committee, which has eleven
members, and attempt to discharge
the District Committee, which has
twenty-one members, one of the live
liest committee rows ever seen on
Capitol Hill may confidently be ex-
pected. Committees are rather jeal-
Gus of their Jurisdiction, and II the
Rules Committee takes the prohi-
bition bill away from another COM
nittse while hearings are in prog
ress, it would be a rather unusual
and radical step, which would prob