River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-07-05
CONFINEMENT OF PROHIBITION
LEGISLATION IN FOOD BILL is
LIKELY TO BE CONFINED TO
DISTILLED SPIRITS ONLY.
FIGHT ON BEER AND WINE
is BROUGHT TO AN END
Expected Compromise May Later Al
low President to Bar Brewing
Presidents Plea Based On Neces-
sity of Immediate Passage of
Food Legislation.

Washington, June 30.-Intervention
of President Wilson has checked the
"bone dry national prohibition move
ment in congress. Confinement of pro-
hibition legislation to distilled bever-
ages without interference with manu-
facture of beer and wines it is gen
orally agreed will result.
Prohibition leaders were asked by
the President, in order to prevent de-
lay in passing the food control bill, to
drop their fight against the manufac-
ture of beer, wines and other light in
~toxicants. With a formal response
from the "drys'' deferred, Senate lead
ers Of all factions quickly reached an
understanding to limit absolute pro-
hibition to distilled spirits.
President Wilson exchanged letters
with the Rev. DR.. James Cannon, chair
mar Of the National Anti-saloon
leagues legislative committee and
called Senate leaders to the White
House in his effort to harmonic diff
~ferences and smooth the way for final
enactment of the food measure.
Presidents Letter to Cannon.
In his letter to DR.. Cannon, the
President said Senator Martin, the
Democratic leader, had asked him to
express his views on the food-liQuor
legislation regarding the "wisest and
most patriotic policy to be pursued"
and added: 81 regard the immediate
passage of the bill as of vital conse-
quence to the safety and defense Of
the nation. Time is the essence and
yet 1t has become evident that heated
and protracted debate will delay the
passage of the bill indefinitely if the
provisions affecting the manufacture of
beer and wines are retained and in
sisted upon. In these circumstances l
have not hesitated to say to members
of the Senate who have been kind
enough to consult me that it would
undoubtedly be in the public interest
in this very critical matter if the
friends of those provisions should con
sent to their elimination from the
present measure. Feeling that your
committee is actuated by the same pa
triotic motives which inspire me, l am
confident that these considerations
will seem to you, as they seem to me,
to be imperative"
Definite Answer Deferred.
A~nti,saloon league representatives
replied that while recognizing "the
force of any appeal from the Presi-
dent and commander in chief of the
army and navy in time of war;" a
definite answer would be deferred un-
til after conference with prohibition
leaders in the senate and house.
Informal agreement, however, was
reached by the prohibition forces in
the senate for virtual abandonment of
the fight to include beer and wines in
the liquor legislation. Their future
efforts probably will be directed to
obtaining an amendment authorizing
the President to suspend manufacture
of malt, fermented and vinous bever-
ages in his discretion. President Will
son told the senators with whom he
conferred that as a compromise and
to get action on the food control leg
islation he would be willing to have
congress clothe him with such au-
thority.