The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-09-25
DRY BILL PASSED

DRI BILL PASStD.
house SENDS PROHIBITION
MEASURE TO CONFERENCE.
Eoth Bodies Agreed on Prohibition
Question but Appropriation Items
in Agriculture Bill Cause Discus
sion-EGort to Include A,.1end-
ments Tails.
Washington, Sept. 23.-National
prohibition, effective next July 1, for
he period of the war was approved
.onight by the house, which adopted
III to "a, the senate prohibition
-ider to the s12,000,o0 emergency
agricultural appropriation bill. The
measure now will pe sent to confer
enee for adjustment of differences be-
tween the two houses on appropria-
ton items.
After voting in the committee Of
The whole to accept an amendment
permitting the importation of wine
until next May the house later re-
versed it's decision and by a vote Of
l21 to SO retained the original SEN
ate provision that importations Of
vine must. cease when the measure
becomes effective upon its signature by
ssne president. The amendment was
approved by the house agricultural
committee to meet an objection by
he governments Of France, Italy,
Spain and Portugal.
All other efforts to amend the leg
Tislation also were defeated. A pro-
oosaI by Representative Kahn, of Cal
ifornia, Republican, to extend the ef-
feet date for prohibiting the sale Of
wine and beer to. December 81, 1919,
was defeated 112 to 81, as was one
BY Representative Beshlin Of Penn.
sylvania, DemocraI, to change the
late for stopping the manufacture of
seer and wines from next May I to
December 1, 1919.
Four other amendments, two of
which sought to have the government
pay for the liquor unso' when pro-
aibitlon becomes effect also were
rejected.
s Representative Gordon Of Ohio pro-.
posed that the internal revenue ,bu-
-eau be authorized to make the pay
aaent, but was ruled out of order, as
vas a subsequent proposal by Repre-
sentative SABBATH of Illinois to provide
a fund Of s250,o00,000 for the same
purpose.
The other amendments voted down
Cf So
souri,, who sought to limit prohibition
20 the declaration of peace instead of
70 the demo utilization 1of the army,
and by Representative Cannon OF
Illinois, who tried 70 have stricken
out the provision recently enacted
s MO law, authorizing the president to
establish tdryp zones about mines,
munitions plants and other factories.
@ Debate on the bill was enlivened
s5y a clash between Representative
aleeker and Decker, both of Mis-
souri,, as result of an attack by the
ssormer on officials of the Anti-Saloon
League.
& Meeker charged that the Anti-Sa-
'seon League is financed by drug firms
md fosters the use Of drugs, He also,
asserted that its leaders are not en-
saged Hsesssss, Y, tsilgs ARE
TOO busy looking after legislation IN
washington and that they attempt to
have candidates for congress sign
secret pledges to vote for prohib1-
tioi-.
Representative Decker vigorously
defended the Anti-Saloon League. de-
elarings its members are war workers
md that any statement to the con-
trary was to be resented. He advanc-
ed to Representative Meeker's desk
and asserted that "theer are people
who are professional anti-prohibition-
ists,'' and added that Mr. Meeker rep
resented a brewery district in ST
Louis.
Recant disclosures that representa-
tiyes of brewing interests syndieated
a loan oes $4,000 to Arthur Bris-
bane for the purchase Of the Wash
ington Times also We're discussed dur
ng the debate.
representative Blanton Of Texas.
defending the Anti-Sa1oon League.
said the league never had contributed
funds to the purchase Of Washing
ton newspaper to carry on its propa-
ganda.
Representative Stafford of Wiscon-
sin, Republican, in defending the pur-
chase Of The Times, declared the
prohipitionists had attempted to re-
feet on Brisbane's loyalty by attempt
ing to discredit a business transaction.
He also charged that A. Mitchell
f'almer,. alien property custodian,
used the Brisbane incident to further
the prohibition interests. The Anti
Saloon League and Mr.. Palmer not
only attempt to besmirch Mr.. Bris-
bane, Mr.. Stafford declared, but also
reflected on the loyalty of brewers.
The Wisconsin member also asserted
that Mr.. Palmer had gone out of his
way to attempt to defeat Democratic
members of the house who did not
subscribe. to his views on the prohi-
bitioL question.
Although four hours debate had
been allotted, impatient cries of "vote
vote were shouted late in the ses-
sion by many representatives. Slight
oh Of