New Britain herald., 1917-12-18
PROHIBITION WINS
 IN NATIONAL }. HOUSE i.| J
Senate Gets Back Resolution and
 May Act at Once

Washington Dec. ,18.-By vote or 282 to 128 tha House of Represents tives late yesterday afternoon adopted the resolution proposing an amend ment to the federal constitution which would prohibit liquor traffic in the nation. As the resolution, which passed the senate in August, was slightly amended before being brought before the house, the resolution goes back to the senate for concurrence before it can be submitted to the states for ratification. Senator Shep- pard will request today unanimous consent to take up the amended reso- lution. F,
 If the senate concurs in the changes made in the house the reso- lution will then be submitted to the state legislatures and adopt the proposed amendment to make 1t a part of the constitution.
 Leaders of the prohibition forces are jubilantly claiming victory before the state legislatures. William Jen- nings Bryan, who heard the debate today from the press gallery, predict ed that the nation would be dry in three. years and that the liquor ques- tion would not figure in the national election in 1920. s Twenty-eight states have prohibi- tion or have enacted laws making their territory dry. If these states and eight others adopt the proposed amendment in the seven years, all lowed by the resolution for state ac- ton the manufacture, sale, and inn portation of liquor in the United States will be prohibited.
 The action of the last session of Congress in prohibiting the manufac- ture of whisky during the war. and in passing a law making the District of Columbia dry, is regarded as an in- dex of increasing sentiment in favor of prohibition.
 The resolution as adopted by the House reads thus: st
 Resolved by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, (two-thirds of each house concurring therein). That the following amend ment to the Constitution be, and here by is proposed to the senate, to be- come valid as a part of the consti- tuition when ratified by the legisla- lures of the several states as provided by the constitution: &
 ARTICLE
 Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manu- fracture, sale, or transportation of in- toxtcating liquors within, the importa- ton thereof into or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the Jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is here by prohibited.
 Section 2. The Congress and the several states shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by ap- propriate legislation.
 Section B. This article shall be in- operative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Con- stitution by the legislatures of the several states as provided in the con- stitution within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the states by the Congress.
 As passed by the senate, the resolu- l ton made no concession to the dis 1 tillers, brewers, and retailers, merely providing that prohibition should be- l come operative upon ratification. It also allowed only six years for rati- fication.
 Galleries Packed. 1 The galleries were filled long before ! before the house. While great in- terest was manifested in the proceed ing by the temperance advocates in the galleries, there was little excite ment on the floor. The opposition, appreciation the outcome, waged a perfunctory fight, and the proponents contented themselves with fully pre- senting obvious arguments. More than forty. speeches were made hr+ the house itself lost interest in the struggle.
 The dry forces lost heavily over early claims, and although there was never. any doubt as to the result the final vote showed that they had only eight more votes than the necessary two-thirds.
 An amendment offered by Repre- sentative Lea of California providine that the prohibition provision should not apply to light wines and beer was rejected by a rising vote of 232 tc 1O7. The gallery crowd refrafned from demonstration until the vote-was an nounced and then broke into pro longed applause in which the advo { cates of the resolution on the foo, Joined.
 | Ex-Secretary Bryan, who has mad,
 prohibition one of his issues, went o1 the house floor and took a seat witt Representative Webb as co-recfpien of congratulations.
 ? The five Connecticut members Lonergan, Tilson, Freeman, Merritt ] and Gtynn, all voted against the reso ! lution.