The Washington herald., 1917-07-07
Bill Up Again To-day.

} Bill Up Again To-day.
Half an hour more, and the Senate
could have disposed OF the question.
Now the prohibition matter must be
discussed again today. II is predicted
that while the part Of the Cummins
amendment forbidding distilled spirits
Importation will stand, the part pro-
hibiting withdrawal for beverage pur-
poses will be rejected.
Unless a further amendment by
Senator Reed is accepted. This leaves
the matter Of withdrawal for beverage
purposes in the hands OF the Presi-
dent 10 be exercised in the interest
Of the public"
The Cummins amendment read:
No distilled liquors or spirits row
in bond in the United States shall
during the existing war be Withdrawn
to be used as a beverage. Nor shall
there be imported into the United
States during the said war any distil-
led liquors"
This amendment came like bomb
shell No one expected il. The Senate
accepted Il by vote Of 81 to - At
once senator Stone. who had voted
NO" changed his vote TO aye,
and then gave warning that he would
move TO reconsider the vote.
I'm not going 10 make my on
position now Ia four or five minutes,
said he threateninEly But II the &C.
casion arises I shall discuss this ~
length, and think other Senators Wih
also"
Senator Jones In Arms.
This statement provoked bitter
statement from Senator Jones, OF
Washington. Senator Pittman had
said certain Senators opposed the bil
not because they wanted prohibition
but because they resented govern
mental authority over any bic busl-
ness.
I'm not going TO vote Tor proniei-
tion in this bill although / am a
prohibitionist." said Pittman. The
, prohibition issue will only tie UP the
bill"
Jones leaped 20 his feet.
This is rebellion" he cried. "A
rebellion is threatened on the floor OF
the Senate by the Senator from Ne
! vada and the Senator from Missouri
] At this juncture Senator Cummins
/ offered his amendment again 10 clinch
il under parliamentary rules. Sen
ator James, OF Kentucky, demanded
that il be split into two g. GtiOns. The
J section concerning Withdrawal won
] by a vote OF q to ~. the section CON
Cerning Importation was passed IS
/ to 10. Senators Brandegee, GerTy,
! Hitchcock, Hollis. Lewis, Pomerene,
/ Robinson. Hustirg. James and Under
wood voting against H. The amend
ment was then in the position Of be-
! ing appended to the Robinson amend
| ment.
| Senator williams argued against the
| Cummins provision, saying il affected
revenue. and therefore could only
! originate in the House. Senator Bran
degee said IL would destroy property.
and create a wave OF indig nation.
Senator WadSworth got Senator Rob
inson TO accept an amendment that
the prohibition Of distilled spirits
should not apply to that used for
manufacturing purpos-s.
A PenrOse Joke.
And then Senator Penrose. with a
perfectly solemn face. sprsng a little
] Joke of his own. He offered an amend
ment that this ''manufacturing"
should not apply to brandiCs used for
fortifying wines. This struck directly
at Senator Phelan. Of California, who
had voted for the Cummins amend
ment. The Californian had fallen into
a trap. Nevertheless. he pleaded
against the Pcnrose amendment.
1t is unfortunate that whisky in
bond is not located in California"
answered Penrose. The Senator from
I California has voted 20 Confscste
millions Of dollars worth OF property
- =
constitutional"
| When the roll was called on the
Penrose motion. Penrose himself
again. with unmoved face. voted loud
ly NO" The Senate burst into laugh
ter. The amendment was lost by 20
to 6. Senators Townsend. sheppard.
Reed, Knox. sherman and Stone vot-
ing Aye" Knox afterward changed
his vote.
Senator Underwood made hts point
then that the Cummins provision was
unjust and unconstitutional because u
stopped the use OF property without
compensation. Senator CUmmins de-
nicd this, saying il merely held the
property in allegiance until after the
war. At that time, said he, IL prohibi-
ton continued. the government could
reimburse the liquor manufacturers.
Senator Harding supported Under
wood, but Senator Sherman made a
fiery speech TO the Southern Demo-
I Gratis.
Your fathers had millions confs-
| Gated by the government and they
were never reimbursed" said he.
Matter Of Dtstisetion.
They were enemies OF the govern-
ment. There's difference between
confiscsting the property OF an enemy
and that of a citizen" interjected
Senator John Sharp williams. OF Mis-
sissippi.
tits a distinction without a dif-
ference" replied Sherman. 'sThe man