South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-01
HOUSE APPROVES
DRY WASHINGTON
Senate Bill Barring Liquor
From Capital Passes by
273 to 1877 Vote.

WASHINGTON. Mar. 1.-Prohi-
bition won double victory in con-
gress Wednesday night when the
house passed. by vote of 273 TO
137. the senate bill 10 make the ma
tional capital dry and senate and
house conferees on the postOffice
appropriation bill unexpectedly an
nounced ar agreement under which
the Reed bone dry amendment is
virtually assured of enactment
Hope of agreeing on the postal
supply measure had been aband-
oned by the conferees who Tuesday
night submitted a resolution to con-
tinue existing postal appropriations
for another year. Wednesday night
however. they got together on a re-
port which includes the Reed
amendment. prohibiting shipment
Of liquor into prohibition states,
and which they expect to present in
both houses Thursday or Friday.
The leaders thought Wednesday
night there was no doubt of its ac-
ceptance in senate and house.
They are taking il for granted. too,
that Pres't Wilson will approve both
that and the District of Columbia
prohibition bill.
The district bill, which will be-
come effective Nov. l. was brought
TO a vote after a stubborn Opposi-
ton had delayed for several hours
the final roll call which the leaders
knew would mean passage.
Try TO Delay.
All day and until late in the
evening they stood by their guns,
exhausting every parliamentary ex-
pedient toward warding off action.
watching for an opportunity TO put
the measure into a position that
would mean its failure with the ex-
piration Of the session Sunday.
Failing 70 displace the bill or to
force an adjournment, the filibusters
conferred their attention on an effort
TO add amendments that would
throw it into conference and pre-
vent enactment at this session. They
made their last stand on an amend
ment that would have given the
people of the District of Columbia a
referendum on the proposal and
would have put into the measure a
provision prohibiting importation Of
liquor for personal use. This was
voted down, III to 1872 Various
other amendments were rejected by
similar majorities.
Limit Debate.
Debate on the measure had been
limited by the drastic rule under
which it had been brought up so
that the usual dramatic features Of
filibustering strategy were replaced
by long roll calls forced by the OPP
position on repeated motions to ad-
journ. points Of no quorum, amend
ments and motions to give some 9TH
er bill the right of way. After sew
eral hours, the prohibition cham
pions despaired of passing at all the
house bill reported from the District
of Columbia committee. with nu-
merOus amendments and adopted a
special rule substituting the senate
bill
Chairman Henry Of the rules
committee led the fight for the
"wets." A member for 20 years and
the veteran of many floor battles.
he went into the fight Wednesday
representing only a small minority
of his committee. He succeeded in
keeping the bill from coming up on
the floor until after noon by fill
clustering on a minor judgeship
measure. He had a handful of 9TH
er bills ready 10 bring up when Rep.
Harrison, another member of the
rules committee, took the floor from
him in behalf of the rule under
which the dry bill framed by the
district committee was TO be con-
sidered.