The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-02-06
BILL NOT
YET OUT
Of WOODS
Movement Starts in House
to Refuse to Concur in the
Senatorial Amendments to
Prohibition Bill and May
Hang it Up.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND, Feb. @.
Somebody appears to be playing
politics with the prohibition bill
which has passed both branches OF
the legislature. A movement has
started in the house, and 1t has
gained considerable Roadway, to
have the house refuse to concur in
the amendments that were put IN
the bill by the senate.
Judging from reports the bill IS
not vet out of the woods. The
chief interest was in the senate
amendment to the bill which
changed the time the bill shall
take effect from January /, 1918
TO April 2, 1913.
There was said to be considerable
sentiment among men of both parties to
the effect that the restoration of the
date to January /. 1918 would not be out
of the way. But the question was
whether any effort of consequence could
he made in this direction without throw
ing the bill open TO consideration on
other proposed changes and possibly
tying it up in a conference committee.
1t was reported that the liquor forces
had started an insidious campaign to
induce the members Of the house 10 re-
fuse to concur in the senate amend
rnents 70 the bill The effort had not
been confined to an attempt 10 influence
either one of the two parties in the
house. but it appeared to be an effort
to stir up opposition among members
Of both parties. And the same was true
of the senate. where 1t would be neces-
sary for the liquor people to line up
the votes Of republicans and democrats
alike for any proposal that might hang
llp the bill in a conference committee or
anywhere else. The fact that the bill
was passed by the senate with a non
partisan vote. Democrats and Republic
cans both supporting It. would make it
necessary for the liquour forces to seek
support from both parties in any at
tempt TO prevent the final taking effect
Of the prohibition bill
Some of the leaders of the democratic
side of the house said that practically
all Of the democratic representatives.
would vote TO concur in the senate
amendments as they stood.
Lets concur in the senate amend
nent= and get rid OF the prohibition
question. in order that other business
NAV be attended to. one Of these lead
ers said I'VE have had the prohibition
question on our hands long enough. and
i aim in favor Of accepting the senate
amendments.
There had cropped out, however. am
extraordinary unanimity Of expression
among republican members of the house
Id the effect that the house should not
concur in the senate amendments
.speriaIIy the one fixing April .. 191S, as
The date on which the bill would take
effect. With practically the same de
gree of extraordinary unanimity, they
took the position that the time should
be January l. 1918. just as IT was when
the HilI was passed by the house.
Whether they would vote that way
when it came to a question Of concur.
renee in the senate amendments, how
ever. was not clear.
1t was said that the Republican mem
hers Of the house did not discuss the
prohibition bill amendments at their
caucus. held after the senate had
amended and passed the bill. But one
peculiar situation of the feature of the
situation was that the Republican MEM
hers had pretty generally arrived at
the same conclusion in regard to this
particular amendment.
In case the house should refuse to
concur in the senate amendments the
bin would then be sent to a joint con-
ference committee of two members from
the house. the members to be appointed