Evening star., 1917-02-28
Plan T!0F0RCE VOTE
ON DRY BILL TODAY
House Advocates of D. C. Prof.
hibition Not to Be
Denied.
READY FOR TROUGH WORK"

| points to the passage Of the Sheppard
Barkley dry District of Columbia
measure before the House adjourns to-
night. and if necessary the roughest
kind of tactics will be used by the
| 'drys' in order to bring the bill to a
vote, even If an all-night session Is
necessary.
Obstacles were rolled in the way of
the bills passage last night and today.
either designedly or not. according to the
statements of those from whom infor-
! nation was sought today. On the other
! hand. the dry forces set their jaws firm
and promised they wouldn't leap over the
obstacles-they would simply pulverize
under their heels anything set in their
path to delay action on prohibition for
the District.
Early at the Capitol.
When the Capitol doors opened this
morning there We're several prohibition
ist onlookers waiting for a chance to
get into the galleries. Before the door
keepers arrived they we're waiting in the
House corridors, giving the impression
the President would appear again today
at the Capitol, and that sightseers were
awaiting his arrival. When they were
admitted and the proceedings of the
House began, they were disappointed at
the roll call forced on the sundry civil
bill in connection with the Borland
amendment to grant 100000 TO the fed
eral trade commission for a food In
vestigation.
Following that vote, the next order OF
business in the House was the discussion
OF a special rule to make in order a
'judgeship'' bill. This measure. reported
favorably several weeks ago. provides for
the retirement of federal judges. There
is much interest in the bill, SO much so
that many southern members approved
highly of the special rule brought in late
This rule and this particular maneuver
were classed by rabid "drys'' as a dila-
tory motion made by the VETS 1t may
be true. However, the rules committee is
dry committee and 1t reported the
special rule to make the Webb judgeship
bill in order.
Last night. when the drys found Rep
resentative Henry had brought in a spe-
cial rule many Of them believed it was
IL,
they started a little indignation meeting
when they learned IT was a judgeship
biiL
However. whether il was or is a diia-
tory maneuver matters little to the
dry leaders. 1t is threatened by Rep
resentative Webb, chairman of the
Judiciary committee, and in charge of
the judgeship bill debate today. that if
anything approaching filibuster bares
its head while his bill is on the floor he
mn fr ont nff IaI,
and come to an immediate vote. In
short. the drys are determined to use
gag. cloture. whip. SUR. threats and
every trick possible to smash the op-
position and bring vote on the Dis
trict prohibition tonight
In connection with the general plans
which are more or less in the air, there
are said to be forty democrats who
described as conducting filibuster
against all legislation.
Feared for Supply Bills.
The matter seemed SO serious last
night that leaders really feared an as
sault SO hard that the necessary supply
bills would all be defeated.
The filibuster seemed to have been
shorn of some of its power today, but
the most interesting threat was made
by a northern democrat. it is rumored
who declared he will vote with the
republicans on the organization Of the
next House if the District dry bill is
passed without a chance for 4 referen-
dun vote.
This rumor has made dry democrats
mad.
IF it comes to a pass" said one OF
them, where the organization of the
democratic party is to be disrupted by
liquor advocate. then liquor will be
driven from every hole in the country
where il has taken a last stand"
From which it may be inferred a
knock down and drag-out fight is
scheduled when the Sheppard bill is
taken up on the floor.
Attempts to Filibuster Defeated.
The early attempts to filibuster
against the Sheppard bill met with sig
nal defeat by a vote Of 226 to 161, by
which the House refused to consider
the Webb judgeship bill. This vote was
called for by Representative Henry,
chairman of the rules committee, and
Immediately upon the defeat of the spe-
cial rule making the judgeship bill in
order Representative Harrison OF
the Sheppard bill Immediately in order
The rule is one of the most drastic
Instruments ever seen In Congress. 1t
effectively deals with the time killing
amendments framed in the District
committee by providing that forty of
these amendments must be voted upon
at one time. 1t provides that two
hours debate could be had on the bill
itself, but there will be at least an
| hour of debate on the gag rule.
Representative Harrison started off
the debate on the rule in short
speech in favor Of prohibition in the
District.
He closed his speech with declara-
! tion that the Sheppard bill should be
| passed without amendment. which is an
appeal to vote down the proposed ref
| erendum.
| Representative Small of North Caro-
| lima began to make a speech favoring a
| referendum, but was interrupted by Rep
| resentattve Cary of Milwaukee, who
| forced q roll call on a. point of no
quorum. delaying the proceedings forty
minutes
( Representative Cantrill who obtained
| the floor after the roll call. said that
| the Sheppard bill is one of the most
posed
Roll Calls Are Forced.
| A few minutes later one of the mos,
extraordinary entanglements occurred
on the floor Of the House. In an effor,
to delay the vote on the rule. q point
of no quorum was made by a Webb ad-
| vocate. In the scramble ensuing, q
situation arose where it became neces-
sary to call the roll on a motion tc
| call the roll.