The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-07-07
BONE DRYS LOSE
FIRST SKIRMISH
Prohibition Amendment to Food
Bill Beaten in Senate.
NO WITHDRAWAL FROM BOND
Pittman Declares Certain Senator
Were Voting For Prohibition as an
Excuse to Filibus.er.


Washington. July Tn what was re-
garded as the ..rst real test of streng ii
between senate vets and drys. the sen
ate rejected. D to "a. food bill
amendment by Senator Myers TO pro
hjhit manu- actu"e Of beer and Ylnous
beverages along with distilled liquors
Shortly after this vote was taken, the
senate recessed without d!Sposing OF
the prohibition question.
Following a parliamentary tangle
over precedence of various prohibition
proposals. the senate earlier in the day
voted, So to %. to sustain ruling by
Vice President Marshall that. before
the Gore and Robinson amendments
should be voted on. the senate should
first dispose OF "bone dry" amend
ment by Senator Curtis. of Kansas,
virtually identical with the house pro
vision.
To straighten out the parliamentary
snarl. the senate afterward. without
a record vote, adopted Senator Curtis
amendment. which merely rearranged
and perfected the house text for bone
dry" prohibition. That placed the re-
vised house provision in position for
further amendment. either by approval
Of the Gore amendment, the Robinson
substitute or others held in readiness
by several senator's.
The vote upon the vice presidents
ruling and the acceptance of the
amendment of Senator Curtis were not
regarded as tests of strength either by
the dry" or wet" forces and without
Senator Cummins said he believed the
house bill was weak because 1t con-
tanned no provision to prevent the I'M
portation Of liquor. so he offered an
amendment to that effect. Action on II
was postponed. Senator Shafroth, Of
the administration amendment and ia
vored bone dry prohibition.
The amendment by Senator Cum
Minis of Iowa, prohibiting imports OF
distilled liquors durigg the war and
also use of those now in bond for bev-
senate by a vote of "a to so.
Senator Cummins' amendment fol,
lows:
mo alcoholic beverage shall be i'm
ported into the United States during
the existing war and no part of the
distilled spirits now in bond in the
United States shall be withdrawn dur
ing the said war. to be used as a bev-
erage"
It was estimated that there are
about oO,000,00 gallons of distilled
spirits now in bonded warehouses and
prohibition upon their withdrawal fo-
beverage purposes would cause loss
IN revenue estiTfra tIr at 4. r4-71 q
600. 600
Upon reconsideration the senate
voted, As to 40. to retain the provisions
of the Cummins' amendment, prohibit
ing imports of distilled beverages and
also prohibiting withdrawal of distilled
spirits in bond for beverage use.
Senator Myers then offered an
amendment to the Robinson substitute,
so as to cover beer and wine as well
as distilled liquors. That brought to
a head the controversy over President
Wilson's suggestion that been and
wine be excepted so as to expedite
passage of the bill.
Senator Pittman declared certain
senators were voting for prohibition
as an excuse to flilibuster and kill the
bill. and he said he would vote against
the prohibition proposals In order to
get a cloture rule to force the bill
through | reply Senator Norris as
serted that no filibuster is contemplate
ed. Referring to the senate agricul-
tural committees reversal of action
upon beer and wines after the presf-
dent had acted he said:
1.-THE committee heard the presi-
dent speak and at least some Of the
senators recognized their masters
voice"
Senator Sherman announced that he
favored the bone dry proposal Of
Senator Myers. He provoked laughter
by presenting kilograms from Chicago
constituents with foreign names ask
ing that no action be taken upon beer.
Senator Stone warned the Senate
that an option Of the Myers amend
ment would cause prolonged debate.
Ne called on the senators to heed
abe request of the president.