Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-24
HOUSE, IN TUMU[T,
VOTES DRY NATION
FOR PERIOD Of WAR
Liquor-Making From Grain or
Other Foodstuffs to End; May
Seize Existing Stocks.
RESULTS COMPLETELY
UPSET PREDICTIONS
Representative Barkley, Kentucky,
Offers Measure Which Wins
Big Prohibition Victory.

Big Hr0n10lClOu t1cLOfys
Wartime prohibition of the most
drastic sort was prescribed Tor the
country by the House Of Representa-
tives last night in the midst OF the
most tumultous debate heard In many
months. Absolute prohibition OF the
use of grains and other foodstuffs in
the manufacture of liquor was adopted
as an amendment to the adminfstra-
tion's food bill. and. moreover. the House
worked itself into SO great prohioi-
tion frenzy that 1t also adopted an au-
thorization for the President to seize
existing stocks Of alcoholic liquors to
redisti1l them into alsohol for wartime
purposes. Under the provisions of law
approved by the House not drop OF
any drink containing alcohol may be
manufactured during the war. and II
the President deems it necessary the
millions of gallons of liquor in bonded
warehouses may be seized. 1t means
dry United States.
1t was the most conclusive prohibi--
ton victory yet won In the halls OIL
Congress, and the results completely
upset most of the predictions which
had been made as to the probable sue
cess of the drys in attempting to write
their theories into the food control
legislation.
Knocking out the manufacture Of
liquor also knocks out S3oo.ooo,ooo In
taxes proposed under the war revenue
bill already passed by the House. :.
The committee on agriculture. IN
charge of the bill. had planned several
mild prohibition amendments. but once
the dry camels nose was under the
tent the prohibitionists yanked the
whole animal inside. but not without
considerable scratching and clawing.
The section Of the law prohibiting
the manufacture of liquor. as approved
by the House, reads:
mo person shall use any food, food
materials or feeds in the production OF
alcohol. except for industrial. govern
mental. medical or scientific purposes.
or of alcoholic beverages. PenaItles
run as high as 5000 nnes, two years
imprisonment or both. S Z
Wfitten by III. 1arkasy..iss.
1t was written by RApfesentatiys
Barkley Of Kentucky, who was sue
cessful after amendments by Repre-
sentative Webb Of North Carolina, Rep
resentative Howard of. Georgia and
Representative Thompson of Oklahoma
had been stricken out on points OF
order by Representative Hamltn OF
Missouri. The Webb amendment was
the one containing authority for the
President to seize all liquor stocks.
However, after the House had accepted
the Barley dry amendment, Repre-.
sentative Webb offered his amendment
all over again, as q new section, and
the House accepted 1t almost without
taken at that stage in the proceedings.
as the House was in committee of the
whole. and no roll calls were taken on
the prohibition sections when the bill
finally passed.
One Of the fiercest fights of the whole
day came when Representative Lenroot
offered an amendment to exempt light
wines and beer. His amendment spe-
officially excepted from the prohibition
against the use of foodstuffs in liquor
manufacture wheat. rye. rice or corn,
Of"
Mr.. Lenroot's Reasons.
81 want to say" he said. that I am
perfectly willing to support as q wal
measure national prohibition. But
am unwilling by my vote to say, and
this section as unamended Will say
that not only shall the manufacture OF
beer be prohibited. but that the sale OF
beer shall be prohibited and that the
22o. 900 gallons of whisky now in
bond may continue to be sold during
the period Of the war. II that is per-
mitted, 1t will not promote the cause
Of temperance, but will absolutely pro.
mote the cause of intemperance."
Replying to q question by Represent
ative Slayden Of Texas. Mr.. Lenroo,
said that the effect of the Barkle,
vineyards Of the United States which
are producing light wines.
The Lenroot proposal stirred up the
House into two new sections; on one
side were men who have large whisk.
producers In their states. and in the
other camp were men who have large
breweries in their communities. The
beer men claimed that the Barkley
amendment would put a premium or
whisky by stopping the manufacture
Of ali liquor. including whisky, bu
would allow the whisky now stored IL
warehouses to be the national drink o.
the country.
'If we wipe out one business. VIZ
the proposition was put by Representa-
tive Mclaughlin of Michigan.
Offers Drastic Measure.
After the Webb amendment had beer
knocked out on point of order, Repre-
sentative Barkley came forward with
his drastic dry proposal. 1t was car
on the Lenroot amendment, which
would allow the manufacture of wine,
and beer. 1t was finally lost by a vott
of 124 to 1874. and engendered a heate<
tween Representative Kelly of Penn
sylvania and Representative Meeker O.
Missouri. This rumpus tied up the de.
bate for half an hour and was fnall,
settled by the entire controversy be
tween the two men being stricken from
the record.
Representative Meeker Of Missour
later made speech pleading for an ex
emption for beer:
This law will be direct slap In tn.
face: an insult to millions of men an,
women in this country whose patriot
ism and morals are as good as an
ones, i resent the insult that this is
nation of drunkards," he said ut 4
unfortunate that men have said tina
going on the water wagon will win thi
war: for IL that were true German,
would have gone on the water waRoj
long ago. take a drink occasionally
and do not feel by SO doing that m,
morals have been lowered. And whel
do take drink do not go behind ,
door and then come out to make a dr.,
speech.
Suggests Crocodile Tears"
In passing this kind- of law W,
are doing the last thing that the czal
did before he left the throne. We ar.
doing this in the name of reform will
crocodile tears about our boys and ar,
exercising a despotism equal to tha
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