The Washington herald., 1917-01-11
SHEPPARD BILL
ADvOCATESPLAN
To HASTEN Vote
Special Rule or Rider on Ap-
preparation Measure
Suggested.
DRAFTS A REFERENDUM
District Committeeman Proposes that
Washingtonians Be Given Vote
on Own Affairs.

The Sheppard prohibition bill Is now be-
fore the House Committee on the Affairs
OF the District OF Columbia and as soon
as the hearings on the Lewis bill 10
the purchase by the government OF the
telephone lines of Washington are out
OF the way, the dry champions will be-
gin an agitation to have the bill re-
ported.
The prohibition advocates yesterday
professed little doubt OF the willingness
OF the committee to let the bill take
its chance on the floor OF the House.
These same workers. however, Iaid
their plans for another procedure should
Chairman Johnson's committee show any
indisposition to report the measure. The
next plan in mind would be q rule from
the Committee on Rules ordering a re-
port This resort might not have TO
be taken because another plan provides
for hitching the Sheppard bill on to an
appropriation bill as a rider.
Special Rule Necessary,
This would require a special rule, but
the temperance workers are sure they
can convince a majority OF the Rules
Committee OF the political necessity OF
the action.
Few members Of the House yesterday
saw any doubt Of the ultimate passage
Of the Sheppard bill in some form or
another. II was rumored that the bill
may be made more drastic.
This talk develoed from the fact that
year ago q tacit agreement was
reached by the snti-saloon workers and
the House leaders for a temperance
measure this year. The bargain was
hat -,
should be enacted into law piecemesl in
stead Of all at once
An effort viii be made 70 attach the
Underwood referendum measure 70 the
sheppard BID IN the House, but little
hope of success for this Is entertafned
by the opposition TO the Sheppard bill
The referendum idea, however. is one
that will not down and one member OF
Congress is now at work drafting a ref
erendum law which would give the citj-
zens OF the District OF Columbia a voice
In their own affairs, even IL they are not
completely enfranchised.
Ideal Example Seen.
This referendum has no connection
with the liquor BILL but the Sheppard
measure furnishes an ideal example Of
the necessity for such a law. The mem
Der who is drafting the bill is on the
NSAAAAAAANtt- ne kd4u
Il am glad TO see that The WASH
ington Herald has suggested a really
practicable and feasible plan TO give
vote in their sf-
fairs.
The referendum ides which gained
such strength In the West certainly
could be applied here with much sue
cess. In that way the great questions
which ARE settled by Congress. Eeuer-
ally to the dfssattsfsction of many of
the residents of Washington, could be
settled by the people after Congress
had taken the initiative and proposed
the legislation
II have never been much Impressed
with the referendum. bur ~ there 4. n
truc democracy and an absolute sprIf-
cation of the rule of the people, the
referendum seems to embody "a.
Il sincerely hope TINT i cnn get
some action on the measure 4 purpose
to Introduce
Opponents OF the Sheppard bill got
some cheer yesterday out % an old letter
written by President Wilson. in which
he declared for local option
From this they deduced that the Exec
utive might veto the Sheppard bill II Il
does not carry tfre referendum, No one
professed to know or would hazard a
guess as to what the President will do
when the Sheppard bill reaches him.