Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-07
COMMITTEE AGREES
ON DRY BILL VOTE
To Decide Tomorrow if Meas
ure Will Be Reported Feb. is
Without Recommendation.
PROPONENTS HEARD TODAY

The House District committee tornor-
row intends TO take q vote on the cues
ton Of making an immediate report o.
the Sheppard Barkley dry" bill, SO
that the measure Will go to the House
February 16 without recommendation.
lhiS was agreed upon to-day at an ex-
ecutive session of the District commit
tee before the public hearing opened.
Ihe agreement followed the introduc-
ton of resolution into the committee
by Representative Lloyd as follows:
That the chair is authorized to re-
port this bill to the House Friday. Feb
ruary Is, without recommendation:
that this committee now proceed with
hearings for the use and information Of
the House; that those favorable to the
bill be allowed today and tomorrow to
present their views, and that those op-
posed to II may be heard Friday of this
week and Tuesday and Wednesday Of
next week, and those favorable to the
blil may close the hearing Thursday
No Further Chance to Dodge.
This brings the wet and dry question
lodging. II the dry votes win tomor-
row. and the bill is reported to the
House without recommendation on
February Is. there is scarcely any cues
ton that ii will pass the House IL an
opportunity is made 10 bring it UP
II the wet votes prevail and hearings
are prolonged there is less chance oc
the passage of the bill
After the executive session the hear
ing proceeded with a room SO crowded
with people that breathing actually he
came difficult. The explanation OF the
bill, started yesterday by Representa-
tive Barkley of Kentucky, was con-
cluded today, and the discussion as to
the propriety OF giving a friend q drink
under the dry conditions staring the
capital in the face became a leadine.
topic of discussion.
Revenue Receipts Greater.
During the discussion Representative
Focht of Pennsylvania asked Represen-
tative Barkley what explanation he could
give TO the fact that Treasury receipts
from liquor taxes are greater than ever
in spite of the fact that prohibitionists
claim their doctrine is a success IN
twenty-five states.
IF prohibition is the real thing" said
Representative Focht, II am for 1t, bHr
L H..
prohibition Is a success how can the con-
sumption of liquor be Oh the increase?"
Il have no figures" said Mr.. Barkley.
but / suppose that the Treasury re-
ceipts covering liquor and the like are
due in part to collections on all dis
titled spirits such as alcohol. There
has been a great increase in spirits
owing to the European war"
Leaves Construction to Courts.
Pursuing the subject further, and
getting into the purely personal use OF
liquor, Representative Hamill of New
Jersey said that under the proposed
law any one who got sick or faint on
a train in the District of Columbia
would be guilty of violation of the
law ii he took a drink of W hisky. Rep
resentative Barkley answered that
courts are presumed to act with COM
mon sense in the matter
Representative HamiH asked Ar.
Barkley for construction of the sec
ton of the bill prohibiting the giving
away of liquor. He said this would alb
solutely penalize any one offering d
guest the hospitality in the form OF a
drink.
Representative Barkley answered:
The bill is not SO strict as that Il
prohibits the importation of liquor for
the purpose of giving it away, but ft
the gift of liquor In your home is In
cidental l do not think the section
would apply. This section is to be con-
strued reasonably, of course.
w. C. T. q. Head Testifies.
\. E Shoemaker. attorney for the
Anti saloon League, took the floor after
Representative Barkley in order to d.
rect the testimony, and his first wit
ness was Mrs. Emma Sanford Shelton,
president of the District of Columbia
w. c. T. U.
For forty years." said Mrs Shelton,
this organization has worked for clean
cities for children. We want the streets
of our cities so clean that our chill
dren may walk upon them without be-
ing subjected to temptation. We are
here today the representative Of the
home. An enemy has invaded our home
and we ask this committee and Congress
TO drive away the Intruder. The saloon
should go; and the National Capital
should be Clean.
Robert d. Burbank spoke word for
the Epworth League societies of the
District saying that the league was
an earnest supporter of the Sheppard
Barkley bill.
Opposes Referendum.
Rev. Dr. Clarence Vincent, pastor OF
Mount Pleasant Congregational Church.
SpSa klnS IOf lHt temperance Souinltlto
of the Congregational Church. said that
| 500 delegates to the last annual con-
vention OF that church had indorsed the
Sheppard-B Barkley bill. DR.. Vincent
urged that no referendum on the liquor
question be held.
Rev George NJ Cummings of the Ana
costa Federation for Social Service in
dorsed the bill, and also the following
persons, all of whom made short state
inents: Rev. r. u. Richardson of Mont
county, Md. Harold Ramsey OF
the Epworth League, DR.. James Cannon.
ir chairman of the national committee
IF the Anti-Saloon League.