The Washington times., 1917-02-07
RECORD DRY BILL
VOTE TOMORROW
House D. c. Committee Agreed
to Act on Lloyd Motion
For Early Report.
Continued from First Page)

~ Oiil
and you do not make practice OF
bringing in liquors TO be given away 1
don't think the section would apply. OF
course if folks got in the habit Of going
to house for drink the situation
would be different This section, too. is
TO be reasonably construed"
Treasury Receipts Greater.
Congressman Focht wanted to know
why. if prohibition is such success in
twenty-five States. as claimed by Mr..
Barkley The Treasury receipts from
the sale of cancellation stamps on
liquors were greater last year than ever
before.
81 am for prohibition" said Mr..
Focht, ''if it's the real thing. II it's
a fake, l want to know it. How can
the consumption be on the decrease
and the Treasury revenues on the
increase?"
81 haven't. those figures" said Mr..
BarkleS, but l had supposed these
receipts were due. in part, to collec-
tions on all distilled spirits. You
know, more spirits are being used
| since the outbreak OF the war"
Congressman Barkley said nearly
20 per cent of the population of the
United States is in dry territory"
He argued that Congress ought to re-
fleet the will of the country and make
its Capital dry. A referendum here,
he briefly contended. would not be
practicable, and is not contemplated
by existing law.
Did Not Doubt.
In regarb to the conflict in dates
carried in the bill and relating to its
effectiveness, Mr.. Barkley said he did
not doubt the courts would construe
the bill as operative from November
!, 1917, although the latter section
of the bill, through an error, says
November l, 1916. The first section
of the bill, he thought, reflected the
will of Congress.
A. Z. Shoemaker, local attorney for
the Anti-Saloon League. directed the
course of the testimony after Mr..
Barkley concluded. He first intro
duced Mrs. Emma Sanford Shelton,
president of the District of Column
bia W. c. T. L.
"For forty years." said Mrs. Shell
ton. the W. C. T.-U. has had as its
motto clean cities for children. We
want the streets of our cities so that
our children may walk them without
being subjected to temptation. we
women are here today as the repre-
sentative Of the homes; an enemy has
invaded our homes. and we ask this
committee and Congress to make our
vision come true and drive this in
truder away. The saloon should go:
our National Capital should be clean
city"
Represented Epworth League.
Robert Burbank. representing the
Epworth League societies OF the Dis
trict. said:
I'VE earnestly hope this bill will be
approved by this committee and Con-
gress."
The Rev. T. D. richardson, of Mont
gomery county. Maryland. told the
committee his county had been dry
for thirty-four years but tine fact
that the District of Columbia II as had
liquor has had a strong influence
tending to nuIlify our laws. or course
there are some violations Of our laws:
there will be violations OF this law.
But as to that. the Ten Command
ments have been violated ever sine
they were written.
The Rev. Clarence Vinson. OF Wash
ington. representing the temperance
committee OF the congregational
Church, said q convention OF 1900 del
egates to the last annual convention
OF that order, had unanimously ~
ddtsed' the Sheppard bill.
Would Queer Referendum.
"It is a significant thing" he said,
that while we thought there should
be some form OF referendum in the
District on general matters, we be
lieve that to start this referendum
movement with a vote on the liquor
question would queer the whole refer
endum campaign and would be bad
thing"
The Rev George NJ. Cummings OF
the Anacostia Federation for Social
Service, said:
Enactment OF this bill is the next
logical step for Congress to take. You
have driven liquor from the army and
navy: you have abolished bars in the
Capitol building: you have driven
liquor from Government reservations,
now make the National Capital dry.
Recently you passed an Alaskan pro
hibition bill Alaska occupies prac-
ticaIly the same status as the District.
and if prohibition is good for Alaska
ii is good for the District"
Mr.. cummings said no referendum
had been obtained when the saloon
was imposed on the District and none
should be authorized now.