The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-06-30
MOVING TOWARD PROHIBITION,
SENATE COMMITTEE MAKES
CHANGES IN HOUSE FOOD
CONTROL MEASURE.
Hiii Amended to Include Iron, Steel
and Such PrOducts-Signs That OPP
position is Waning and That Speedy
Passage Is Likely Not Wanting.

Washington, June 26.-The admin
istration food control bill passed By
the house was rewritten today by
senate agriculture subcommittee so rs
to give President Wilson the mower
and responsibility of deciding wheth-
er the nation shall be bone dry" dur
Ing the war and to place iron and
steel and many other products in ad-
dition to food and fuel under govern.
ment control.
These and other changes are so
satisfactory to many senator's who
nave been opposing the original draft
OF the legislation that both advocates
and opponents tonight predicted pas
sage In the senate by Saturday.
AS substitute for the house pro-
hibition section. which without quail
fcation forbids the manufacture Of
foe dstuffs into liquor, the subcommit-
tee adopted provisions which would
prohibit manufacture during the war
OF all intoxicating beverages. and en-
power the president to commander
existing supplies of distilled spirits
and. would authorize the executive in
his discretion to permit manufacture
OF matted, fermented and vinous
beverages and fix their alcoholic con-
tent.
AS rewritten the subcommittee draft
will be considered tomorrow by the
agriculture committee and probably
W.. be reported at once for senate
discussion without material change.
Senators Gore. Smith Of Georgia and
others prominent in the bitter fight
against the legislation have ANNOUNCE
ed their support for the redrafted
measure.
Other signs Of waning opposition
and prompt senate action came In
today's debate on the senate floor.
Opposition senators leading recent
discussion yielded to Senator'S Knox
and Nelson (Republicans) and Thorn
as CDemocrat) for speeches strongly
supporting the control legislation
Further discussion promised to centre
on the prohibition section with Lead
ers predicting q close final vote.
For the house prohibition plan the
subcommittee's substitute provides:
THAT from and after 80 days from
the date of the approval of this act
1t shall be unlawful for any person
firm or corporation to use in the
manufacture Of any intoxicating
liquors for beverage purposes any
perishable or non-perishable feeds,
foods or food materials. Wheneve.
the president shall find it necessary
to conserve perishable products
named he Is empowered to permit
the use Of such products in the man.
ufacture Of vinous liquors. (.
Whenever in the judgment of the
president the public interest would
be subserved thereby he is em-
powered to permit the limited use OF
the materials mentioned in the manu-
facture Of malt or fermented liquors
and to prescribe the alcoholic content
thereof"
Another section adopted would au-
thorize the president to take over
any or all distilled spirits now in
bond. upon payment of a reasonable
and just price to distillers. for re-
distillatlOn into alcohol for war, m
dustrial or other beverage pur-
poses. The 80 day proviso is design.
ed to give that time to tho president
to decide whether further manu-
facture of beer. wines and light
beverages shall be permitted and for
consumers and manufacturers to pre-
pare for what the president may de-
eide.
Should the president not exert his
authority so as to exempt malt,
fermented and vinous beverages from
the sweeping prohibtory provisions
and should commander distilled
spirits in bond. "bone dry" national
prOhibition-of both manufacture
and consumption-would result, en-
failing a loss of federal revenue esti-
mated between $4OO.0OO,OOO and
$50O.O00,C00 and new taxation meas
ures. as we'll as local revenue re-
ductions.
Besides the prohibition substitutes
other radical changes made in the
house bill include:
Extension of government control, IN
addition to food feed and fuels to