Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-07
REED AMENDMENT
BEATEN IN SENATE
Vote of Is to 38 Against With
drawaI of Spirits From
Bond During War;.
SMOOT AMENDMENT UP

The Senate, by a vote Of As to 3s. today
defeated the Reed amendment, which
would have empowered the President to
permit the withdra wal from bond Of dis
titled spirits during the war.
Senator Smoot then offered an amend
ment to have the government take over
the distilled spirits and pay for them.
The battle over prohibition was re-
newed when the Senate met today at
IL o'clock. The dry" section or the
food control bill was under discussion,
and it was the belief of Senate leaders
that a final vote on the section would
be had before adjournment.
The "wets," in the preliminary strug-
gle yesterday, both won and lost
ground BY a vote of So to "a. the
Senate rejected a "bone-dry" amend
ment offered by Senator Myers of Mon
tana, which would have prohibited the
use Of foodstufrs in the manufacture
of beer and wines during the war,
along with distilled spirits.
But the "drys" turned the tables on
the anti-prohibitionists. when. by
vote of As to 40, they added to the So
called administration compromise an
amendment introduced by Senator
for beverage purposes of the millions
of gallons Of distilled spirits in bond
during the war and prohibiting the Inn
portation Of distilled spirits. His
amendment does not cover rectihed
spirits, however.
"Wets" Working Hard.
rod,y ,+ran,o,, aror+, 1yaro bofno
made by the "wets" to overturn the
advantage gained yesterday by the
"drys" in the adoption Of the Cummins
amendment. while the "drys." on the
other hand. were seeking to maintain
their ground. Compromises were sug-
would be put up to the President.
After the Senate has perfected a sub
stitute for the "bone-dry'' prohibition
section Of the House bill. final vote
must come upon its adoption or rejec-
tion for the House provision.
If the prohibition section can be
adopted by tonight. Senator Chamber
lain. in charge Of the bill. will seek to
obtain an agreement to vote on the
entire food control bill by Wednesday
or Thursday.
With the wheels all creased for the
adoption of the administration COM
promise. eliminating beer and wine
from the prohibitive section of the food
control bill. Senator Cummins Of Iowa
yesterday afternoon threw a monkey
wrench into the machinery. hating ac-
tion and threatening the food control
bill with indefinite delay, unless some
agreement can be had with the liquor
forcss.
The Iowa senator offered and had
adopted. first Hs~Hn aineudment psrfect-
ing the House prohib1uon sectfon, and
then as an amendment to the adminfs-
tratton compromise substitute, q provi-
sion forbtdding. the use Of any Of the
30o.000,000 gallons of distilled spirits
now in bond for beverage purposes,
during the war. and prohibiting the i'm
portation Of any distilled spirits into
this country for the Same period.
"Wet" Senators Dumfounded.
The wet" senators were dunnfound-
ed at the turn Of affairs, particularly
after they had carefully canvassed the
situation Thursday and ascertained
they had more than enough votes to de-
feat the bono dry" House provision of
the bill.
Senator Stone Of Missouri, waving his
fst. threatened that II tho Cummins
amendment was retained In the bill he
and other senators would flibustsr
against the passage of tho entire food
control bill for many days to como,
Senator Underwood of Alabama, SEN
ator Penrose of Ponnsyivania and Son
ator Harding Of Ohio attacked tho
Cummins amendment on tho ground
that 1t took away property without due
process of law. Senator Underwood
TT,onttpu~d ~, C..<..,1 u