The Washington times., 1918-06-03
What the Papers Say
of Whiskey Bottles

Under the caption @saIVaEe Twenty
nIne Whiskey Bottles In House,
They're All EmPty-Speaker CLARK
Says That Is only One Drink Apiece
But They Take BiE Drinks In Mis-
souri," the Philadelphia Ledger Says
The adage Of antiprohibitionists
that you never can tell what a Con-
gresham drinks from the way he
votes on prohibition, was cited today,
when an inquiry was started as a
result OF the nnding OF twenty-nine
empty whiskey bottles in a Iavatory
Of the office building Of the House
Of Representatives.
The bottles, IL was stated. were coll
lected by janitors outside the doors OF
members offices, and the collection
represented the finding OF a few days
on only one OF the nye floors Of the
building.
There Is no law against bringing
liquor into the District Of Columbis
for personal use" but the moral Of
the story, as related by persons not
fond OF prohibition, or dry" mem
bers, was that the two-thirds OF the
present House is recorded in favor OF
a "bone-dFy" nation, and that the
labels on the bottles showed that
members prefer the better brands OF
whiskey. Kentucky bourbon predoin-
.inated in the list o.
Speaker Clark Surprised.
Speaker Clark, who is chairman Of
the commission in control OF the
House Office building, expressed sur
prise at the evidence" OF drinking
by members who are "conscientious
objectoRs" to the manufacture and
sale OF alcoholic liquors. and said:
Il never heard OF it. I know moth
ing Of IL. / don't believe members ot
Congress are drinking. Why, in. the
FIRST place, the whiskey which would
go in those bottles wouldn't make a
half a drink around for the House
membership. I've been Speaker eight
years. and l never saw but one man
in the House visibly intoxicated. And
he knew enough TO vote as he should
They used to have bars here. In
those days members drank because
they were too hot or because they
were too cold. Then they used to drink
before they made a speech and
after they made a speech. Then they
used to drink when they had to listen
to a speech. Now, there is remarka-
bly, little drinking among the mem
bers. That is why 1 don't think
members OF the House have had any
thing TO do with this matter
Representative Randall OF Califor.
mia, a Prohibitionist party member
Of the House. who is the author OF ar
amendment now pending to require
the President to prevent the use oi
foodstu1s in the manufacture OF beeI
and wine during the war, demanded
an investigation OF whiskey drinking
in the House ohice building.
Tells Of Photograph.
Under a Washington date line oi
June J, the Philadelphia Enquirer
EAyBI
A photograph OF twenty-five empty
whiskey bottles found m one OF the
lavatories OF the House Office build.
ing was published today as an argu
ment against the prohibition OF beer
and wines, the inference being that
the prohibition Of the lighter bever
ages in the National Capital has led
to an increase in the consumption OF
whiskey among national lawmakers
and employees OF Congress.
The statement Is made that ar
average OF 16O empty whiskey bot
ties are taken out OF the House Office
building every month.
No statistics are presented to show
whether this is an increase or a de-