The Washington times., 1917-02-23

the District Committee had dellber.
ateIy employed diIatory tactics which
indicated hostility to the prohibition
bill.
Mr.. Dinwiddie charged that the
District Committee would delay ITS
report on the measure until March D.
Speaking for the advocates OF a
referendum, Attorney Henry Z. Davis
urged the Rules Committee to pro
vide for a referendum amendment Il
the bill was taken from the District
Committee He declared that the &C
ton of the "drys" put il up to the
Rules Committee to impugn the
honor. integrity and honesty OF the
District Committee.
Mr.. Davis made a legal argument
first, in which he commended that Con
gress had the power to provide a ref
eEendum for the people of the District,
and concluded with the statement
that passage of the prohibition bill,
which he said would revolutionize the
social life of Washington and drive
conventions from the city, would be
accepted far more graciously IL the
people were allowed to decide the
question for themselves.
Urges Rights of House.
Congressman McCracken was the
first speaker before the committee.
He said the Rules Committee owed il
TO the members of the House to allow
them to vote on the bill at this ses-
-sion.
= 1.-THE District Committee has had
This bill long enough to reach some
decision on it," said Mr.. McCracken.
81 think this committee ought to take
the bill away from the District Com
mittee and let the members of the
House vote on it"
Mr.. Dinwiddie reviewed the history
OF the hearings on the bill before the
District Committee, and expressed the
sbelicf that that body should be re-
,lieved of further consideration of the
measure.
p This bill is backed by the prohibit
tionists of the entire country" said
the speaker. "They represent two
thirds N the population of the United
States and twenty-seven States. Over
-S5 per cent of the territorial area OF
-the American continent is under the
dry regime now. In that area lives
more than g. per cent of the people
sof the United States, and they ask for
sactipn on this bill"
DO you think the District Commit
stee will act on this bill'' he was asked
sby Chairman Henry.
= I" doubt it very strongly" replied
mfr. Dinwiddie. NY doubt is based
-on what the committee has done and
sfailed to do thus far. This same
committee postponed consideration
sof the Jones-works bill, a regulatory
and not a prohibition measure, for
stem months, four years ago"
Claims Absolute Evidence.
DO you think the committee is
against the bill?" inquired Mr.. Henry.
5 There is no question about that"
was the prompt reply. I'VE have had
sabsolute evidence of that fact by
postponements of the conclusion OF
-the hearings. This committee. If it
could. would delay action on this bill
until M2rch 5"
Asked by Chairman Henry if he
would object if the District Commit
tee reported the bill with amend
ments. Mr.. Dinwiddie said he would.
He said that while a number of PEG
pie in Washington outside the liquor
business honestly wanted a referen-
dunn. he did not think the prohibition
bill should be singled out as the meas
-ure upon which 20 try a referendum,
vote for the bill. Mr.. Dinwiddie said
there was no machinery here for a
referendum and that Congressman got
none of their authority from the PEG
pie of the District.
Couldn't machinery for a refer
endum be provided by the next ses-
sion OF Congress-" asked Mr.. Henry.
1T might be-" replied the speaker.
,"but that is Just what a lot of people
should pass on this bill
Asked by Congressman Bennett IL
he would object to a separate resolu-
ton being offered to remedy the de-
feet in the bill caused by the appear
ance Of 1915" in one of its clauses.
Mr. Dinwiddie replied in the negative.
but said he would object to an amend
ment to that effect being offered and
debated on the floor of the House.
DIR. Scannon Heard.
The Rev. DR.. Charles Scannon. rep
resenting the board of temperance of
the Presbyterian Church. and the Rev.
Clarence True Wilson. representing a
asked that the rule be reported to
put the bill on the calendar of the
House
Attorney Davis then spoke in ad-
vocacy of a referendum. He traced
the governmental history Of the Dis
trict from its inception to the pres
-ent dav The attorney declared the
citizenship of the Government en-
-pIoyes here would not he jeopardized
by their participation in a primary
here because Congress could grant
the Inhabitants" of the District the
right to vote.
Mr. Davis dwelt on the fact that
tho people OF the District were taxed
without representation. lie said this
was repuIsive to all Americans.
I'VE are a law abiding people" said
Mr.. Davis. I'VE have an orderly
community. ] believe the slum hunt
sers looking for sore toes have tried
10 make it appear that we have the
srottenest city in America and are thus
responsible for a large part of the
friction between Ahe inhabitants OF
this city and Congress.
This bill not only means the loss
of property rights. the loss of half a
million dollars in revenue to the Dis
triCt. but il means that we must sub
vert our social life TO this Legislation,
THE WEATHER REPORT.