Omaha daily bee., 1917-12-19
PROHIBITION TO
Be SUBMITTED TO
Vote OF STATES
Amendment to Constitution
Must Be Ratified or Rejected
BY the People Within
Seven Years.

" aShington, Dec. is lie consti.
tut,onal amendment for national pro.
h'bltlon was today finally Submitted d
by congress to the states, for ratifica.
ton or rejection within seven years.
The senate completed congressional
action by accepting the resolution as
passed yesterday by the house, AZ to
S, without a roll call
Senator Borah objected to accept
ing the house amendments. contend
ing that congress has no authority to
specify the time in which the amend
mcnt is to be ratified and that the
constitution gives no authority for
providing that prohibition shall be
come effective within one year after
being accepted by the states.
1--WE have no such power as to say
the amendment shall be ratified
within seven years after Icing sub.
mittcd to the states by congress, SAID
he. at is either TO be submitted to
the states or not to be submitted at
all. If it ever goes to the states, they
can rstify it whenever they desire.
House Passes Bill.
tBy a staff CorrcsrondcntD
Washington, Dec. 11.--(Spccial
Tclcgram) )~-Thc Nebraska delcga-
ton voted solidly for the prohibition
amendment today, the only absentee
being Congressman Stephens OF the
Third district who was paired IN ia
yor OF the amendment.
Representative LobeCks vote was
one of the surprises of the day III
view of the vote he cast for the Hob
son amendment December p, 1914
when he voted no" Whether the
presence Of Mr.. Bryan in Washing
ton and about the corridors and in
the lobbes of the house during to-
days session was responsible for Mr.,
LobeCk's vote is problematical. but
the fact remains that he was one of
Nh. Bryan's guests at luncheon i'll
the house today and undoubtedly re-
ceived the views Of the peerless
Leader as to the subject then up
permost before the congress.
Lobeck Tells Why.
Later Mr.. Lobcck stated to The
Bee correspondent that he was in
duced to change his vote from the
vote on the Ilobson amendment be-
cause OF present conditions at home.
He had found a drift toward prohibi-
ton in the Second district which III
huenctd him to cast his vote ac-
cordngly.
Representative kcavs Of the First
district made the only speech in IA
vor of the amendment from Nebraska
and the position he took was COM
mcnted on by number of lawyers
during the course Of the days debate
on the resolution.
What Reaves Contended.
Mr.. Reavis contended that the third
section of the amendment was uncon-
stitutional because of the time limit
placed in its ratification by the state
and that it ought to be eliminated.
He insisted that If the courts should
ever be called upon to pass OF the
with the third section ap-
pended, it would be declared null and
void for he contended that a vote in
favor Of tlc resolution providing that
its adoption should take place within
seven years at the hands of three
tourths of the states would be inter
preted as an inducement to vote for
such a resolution, which, in his judg-
ment, was inimiCal to the spirit in
which the constitution was conceived.
Later Mr.. Rcavis submitted an
striking out the section to
which he had made objection. but 1t
received sCant courtesy, going out on
a viva VOCe vote,
Ex-Sccrctary Of State Bryan was
an occupant of the press gallery dur
ing much of the debate on the pro-
amendment and the Com
moner' showed want OF appreciation
of an unwritten law Of the gallery by
vocifcrously applauding the speakers
in favor OF the resolution. This
brcech OF press gallery etiquette was
much commented OH by those who
have enjoyed its privileges for many
years.
Hhorroc EiIod hnainct