The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-17
DRY MENDMENT
PASSES HOUSE
IN SHORT ORDER
Receives Twenty-Five Votes
More Than Necessary.
GOmpers Opposes Passing Ma
tiOnal "Dry" Measure.
BALLOT At 5 P. M,
'.LabOr's Loyalty Not Measured
BALLOT AT 5 P. M,
''LabOr's Loyalty Not Measured
by Quart'-Bryan.

Washington, Dec. 1.-THE house
roll call in voting on the prohibition
resolution began at sos o'clock.
Washington, Dec. 17.-An amend
ment by Representative Lea, of Cali
fornia. providing that prohibition pro-
visions should not apply to light wines
and beer was rejected by rising vote
of 232 to 1O7.
The resolution passed, receiving the
necessary two-thirds vote.
With a vote of two-thirds required
for its s.approval, the vote of the house
announced by Speaker Clark was 2S2
to 12S, or twenty-five more than re-
Guired,
A wild demonstration took place in
tahe house. w. ]. Bryan appeared on
the floor and took a seat with Repre-
sentative Webb as co-recipient of con-
gratulations.
Washington. Dec. 17.-Both vets
and drys predicted victory today when
the house LAUNCHED into a six-hour
debate which was to close at five
O'Clock this evening on prohibition
constitutional amendment The drys
admitted that the vets had been gain
ing strength for several days, but
claimed twenty votes to spare over
the necessary two-thirds- The vets
gave no figures and predicted the de-
feat of the resolution by a narrow but
safe margin.
Altho the resolution already had
passed the senate it will not be out
of the woods with passage by the
house for it has been amended and II
the house passed it today it would pc
necessary for the senate to vote again
Tho hnlISP commit
tee has amended the resolution to
provide the states must act on ITS
ratification within seven years while
the senate specified six
Washington. Dec. 17.-The national
prohibiticn amendment is destined to
pacs the house late today.
Unless ali signs fail it win be ham
mered thru after bitter debate but not
with the wide ma jor;ty which its pro
ponents had confidently expected.
Last minute campaigning has
swerved some of the doubtful against
the amendment and relying on tenn
terance measures already undertaken
by the president as a war step they
will record themselves against the
amendment.
Labor was the club the vets bran
dished over the measure working
mems dissatisfaction with utter pro-
hibition was the main theme OF the
vets discussion IN tIle COURSE VI tHr
day's debate The vets contended
that prohibition of whisky distillation
has attended to the hard liquor ques-
ton, while reduction of alcoholic con-
tent of beers makes them temperate
and desirable.
Would Cause DiSsensiOn.
The closing hours of the lobby
pro and con-brought paid advertise
ment from President Gompers of the
American Federation of Labor against
the amendment on the ground that it
would cause internal dissension that
would detract from war work, and 4
sharp answer from William J. Bryan
that labor's patriotism is not measured
! by the quart.
The drys predicted victory conf
dently. They anticipated that the la
Dor argument would be insufficient
I to beat the measure in view of the
ver-growing anti-liquor sentiment OF
| the naticn.
Moreover, they said that with the
matter submitted back TO the state leg
isl2tures they can still procure the
necessary number of ratifying votes in
the seven years allotted for that pur-
4 pose.
The vote was to be taken az p. m.
Must Go to Conference.
As presented to the house the reso-
luton requires ratification bv three
fourths of the states within seven