Evening journal., 1918-06-11
SENATE 'DRYS' ARE
READY FOR FIGHT
Jones's Amendment Expect
ed TO Pass Unless Wilson
lntervenes
PRESIDENTS STAND
IS UNCHANGED

WASHINGTON. June twin the
Introduction in the Senate yesterday OF
the Jones war time prohibition amend
ment. behind which all drys in Con
gress are preparing TO rally. the stage
has been set for an interesting Con-
gressional battle. with victory almost
certain TO rest with the prohibltlonists
unless the President clearly and un-
equivocally shows that he is absolutely
opposed 10 a bone dry country.
Support is being openly sought FOR
the Jones amendment on the ground
that the President IN his letter TO SEN
ator Sheppard TEX indicated that he
wanted all drinking stopped. on the
other hand. 10 Is learned from nuthori-
tative sources that the President In
tended to convey no such meaning. Il
is understood that his position has not
changed since last autumn. when he
showed clearly that he believed in let
ting workmen have beer anc light
wines.
With the Senate Agricultural Com
mittee. 10 which the Jones amendment
has been referred. standing almost
seven to one for prohibition, u seems
practically certain that a bone dry war
measure viii be reported IN a few days,
and the drys In both houses are claim
ing votes enough to pass It unless the
President intervenes.
The Jones amendment would 20 into
effect at once and have exactly the
same eeffct as the prohibition constitu-
tional amendment now before the
States for ratification. Like the Randall
amendment passed in the House It Is
a rider to tho agricultural bill. Il
reads:
Provided. that from and after the
approval Of this act and during the
continuance Of the present war Il shall
be unlawful to sell. furnish or trans
port distilled spirits for beverage pur-
poses and no distilled spirits held IN
bond at the date Of the approval OF
this act shall be removed therefr0m for
beverage purposes and from and after
thirty days from the date Of the ap-
proval Of this act no food, fruits.
food materials or feeds shall
during the continuance Of the
presentiwar be used in the production
OF malt or vinous liquors for beverage
purposes. and the President is hereby
authorized and directed to prescribe
any and all rules and regulations deem
ed necessary to carry the foregoine
provisions into effect and any one who
wilfully violates any Of the foregoing
| provisions or any rule or regulation
made TO carry the same into effect shal
be punished by a fine not exceeding
5000 or by Imprisonment for not NOR
than two years. or both
While the drys seem perfectly viii
I ing 10 take their chances on thc con
stitutionality Of tht Jones amendment
/ the opinion Of some Senator's who's
advice on constitutional questions d
generally respected. is that the right %
Congress to prohibit the selling. fur
nishing and transportation Of liquors
I'm intrastate commerce IS quito out
side the Constitution.
On the other hand, they admit thai
there can be no doubt Of the right OF
the Federal Government to prohibit
transportation from one state 10 an
other. Hence the Committee on Agri-
culture Is put to the necessity Of franz
ing at once a measure which viii stand
court test and at the same time CLOSE
up the nations bars