The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-14

advertising bill. His aim was to pre-
vent the farther spread Of prohibi-
ton in the wet" states and to create
reaction against the prohibition
law In the already dry" states. The
Reed amendment received the we'll
nigh united support of the brewing
interests of the country, but was
fought by the distillins interests. The
brewers had lost nearly all their iiQ-
uor shipment trade, except to near
by points ip dry territory. and the
distillers were doing practically all
of the Interstate liquor-shipping bust
ness. There were many dry" leaders
who would not have proposed the
Reed amendment except for those
states which had already prohibited
liquor shipments entirely, believing
that until the adoption OF the consti-
tutional prohibition amendment each
state should be permitted to deter
mine just how far such prohibition
should extend: ard islding men in
the SENATE and IN the house Including
Messrs. Kenyon, Jones, Beckhan1,
and Webb. opposed the Reed amend
ment and voted against IT. There is
no doubt that in some states a GER
tain amount of reaction followed. and
the opposition 70 prohibitory laws was
stirred to resentment and some acti-
witty. But the "hone-dry" law hav-
ing been psssed by the aid OF the vote
OF the brewing interests the prohibit
ton workers of the country have deter
mined to seht the hattie out ION that
line. believing that ultimately the re-
suits will be so beneficial that no
reactionary movement can meet with
any permanent success.
When the extra session OF congress
assem- BLEED. the two political parties
in the house ot representatives were
almost equal in number There was
an overw heirningly dry" majority in
the house, both on the Democratic and
on the Republican side--a combined
ma toritv. as was confidently hoped,
If two-thl~ds. When tho Democratic
caucus met 20 outline the prosra m
cf legislation which should be consid-
cred during the extra session. prohi-
bition was included az one of the
items Of legislation. whereupon, GER
tain of the wet" element nota bly,
frefa Besten. lef; the caucus and
served notice that they would
not vote with the Democrats to
orea uize tho house Of representa-
fiVes when demonstrated with and
told that. should the Republicans or
ganize the house. prohibition would
thev replied that they were not re-
sponsibie for the Republican program.
hut they were determined that the
Democratic party should not include
prohibition IN its program. As all
the policies of the administration
were Involved. a compromise was
finally effected. and il was agreed that
tn. house would not initiate any
Legislation except that recommended
be the president or the departments
of the government.
In the face Of these unpatrfotie
threats Of the friends of beer and
wine the president was advised and
ne decided TO write TO the legislative
mittee 10 consent to the elimination
of the provisions concerning the
manufacture Of. beer and wine, In
Visw of the fact that the passage OF
the bin would he delayed indefinitely
If those provisions should be retained
land insisted upon.
Thus il became impossible to orfgf-
nate any prohibition legislation in the
! house Of representatives, notwith-
standing the overwhelming prohibit
tion majority in that body The bat
tle ground was transferred, therefore,
Of necessity. TO the senate. When the
Z
aEended 10 prohibit the sale cf Ara
toxlcants to soldiers in uniform and
To require the secretary OF war TO
adopt such regulations as would pro-
ieCt soldiers from vicious and iru-
moral influences. when the bill was
sent 20 the conference committee, a
bitter ana persistent fight was made
upon those amendments protecting
the soldiers from the liquor traffic
and from immoral influences. Fitz-
gerald al New York. and Kahn. of
California. refusing TO agree TO these
amendments and declaring in the pub
lie press that they were An insult to
The manhood OF the army. The re-
manning conferees. however favored
the amendments. and. being In the
ma jority, the hill was passed. and
signed by the president Several
months later the secretary of the
navy. Hon. Johephus Daniels, made
i request OF congress that these provi-
sions OF the h!li be made to apply
to the navy as well as 10 the army.
and no man was bold enough to raise
his voice in protest. Indeed. the
senate, In the closing days of the SEES
sion. passed much more drastic bill.
.nfiicttng severe penalties upon those
guilty of commerciaiized prostitution
tI ING HtlEl2hpiI VI tHN my
camps and this bill Is on the
house calendar for action In Deem
Der
The next great battle was on the
fcod bill The president OF the United
States appealed TO the house of rep
resentatives 10 pass a food conserva-
ton bill for the purpose of eliminat-
ing waste md preventing boarding
and exorbitant prices. The whole
country was aware OF the fact that
the greatest single waste OF foodsts1Gs
WAS the manufacture Of grain and
other food material into malt, vinous,
and distilled liquors. and that any
proper food bill should prohibit abso-
lutely the further manufacture of
such foodstuffs> into intoxicants. AZ
the bill came from the committee to
the house OF representatives. II seem
ed impossible to whip 1t into the de.
sired shape. Amendment after
amendment was ruled out of order
by the chair. and the case seemed
hopeless. Judge Barkley. of Ken
lucky, after q careful examination OF
the wording of the bill discovered
that by striking out certain phrases
and clauses the language rema lining
would constitute prohibition OF the
use OF foodstuffs for the manufacture
of intoxicants. He. therefore, moved
m n 1apd nv az r{k In y nnf tha Ia n ~1Y a o :,