The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-05-17
FOR DRY
]. S. DURING WAR
Votes to Bar Use Of Grain for
Liquor. /
FIXES DATE AS SEPTEMBER !
Amendment to Espionage Bill Prohlh-
its Intoxicating 6eVerages-Rouse
Backs T. r. Plan--Press Cen.
49,. sorship Eliminated.

Washington, May 14.-The first leg
islatlve step toward conservation of
! the nations food resources and q long
advance toward an absolutely dry
United States was taken by the senate
| in approving, 3S to 81, an amendment
to the administration espionage bill
forbidding during the way the use of
! cereals or grain in the manufacture of
| Intoxicating liquor.
BY majority of one vote the SEN
| ate also threw out of the bill the adj
ministration's press censorship section
and then voted overwhelmingly not to
| put In modified section, as was done
In the house. =.
This action is expected to throw the
censorship fight into conference, where
| the influence of the administration can
be brought to bear more directly. What
will be the outcome no senator would
predict with confidence.
Little Debate on Dry Plan.
The prohibition amendment was
adopted under rule limiting debate
sharply, and there were only brief
speeches on each side. Just before
this the senate had voted down, AZ to
25, proposal to forbid the sale of
intoxicants during the war.
Effective September /, the amend
ment is calculated to confine sale and
consumption to whisky and other grain
liquors already in stock and to wines,
brandies or other drinks that depend
upon other materials for their main
constituents.
Another opportunity to vote upon 1t
will be offered when the senate takes
the bill, with the amendment, from
the committee of the whole.
Estimates during the debate were
that at least $200,0o0,00O in annual in
ternal revenue would be lost if the
amendment stands.
Text of Amendment.
The amendment proposed by Sena-
| tor Cummins, Republican. of Iowa,
reads as follows: =
'"That on and after September 1,
1917, during the period of the war with
| the imperial German government, 1t
shall be unlawful to use or employ,
directly or indirectly, any cereal,
grain, sugar or strip In the production
of Intoxicating liquor in any form or
of any kind; provided that nothing
in this section shall prevent the use of
sugar or strip in the manufacture of
wines as now authorized by existing
law; provided further, that this sec
ton shall not be construed to make
unlawful the manufacture of alcohol
or intoxicating liquor for industrial.
mechanical, medicinal, sacramento or
scientific purposes under rules and reg
ulations to be established by the sec
rotary of the treasury.
"a violation of this section shall be
punished by fine of not more than
$1,000 or Imprisonment for not more
than three years, or both"
An amendment by Senator Gronna
prohibiting the use of grain and other
necessities of life in the manufacture
of beverage alcohol was beaten, 46
TO "a. Another by Senator Weeks to
permit use of grains and cereals in
the manufacture of alcohol used in
the manufacture of tobacco was
beaten, 80 to 81.
Grain Needed by Allies.
There was much discussion of con-
stitutionality of the Cummins amend
ment, and many senators complained
that the senate was undertaking the
most important sort of legislation
under limited debate rule.
Supporters of the proposal empha-
sized strongly the fact that the nation
and its allies need every bushel of
grain they can find to carry on the
war.
Elimination of the press censorship
section ended q long and bitter fight.
The vote was 80 to 80. Opportunity
will come for another vote on this
section and the administration is ex-
pected to make an effort to have the
senate reverse itself.
Discussion of the censorship and
prohibition sections prevented final
vote on the bill. 1t win be taken up
again this week.
T. r. Plan Revived.
The house of representatives, by a
vote of 215 to 1TS, returned the army
CONSUMPTION bill to conference with
Instructions to include the amendment
which would allow Colonel Roosevelt
to take division to France.
With inclusion of the amendment
in the bill as IL. win go to President
Wilson for his signature. almost GER
tain, the question whether the colonel
will lead a division to France now.
rests with the president, who can
take one OF several courses, Including
even accepting the Roosevelt division
and then keeping 1t In the United
States.
Under the terms of the bin Presi-
dent Wilson would be only author
lied, not required. to accept the dlyi-
sion.