The Washington herald., 1918-06-22
PROHIBITICNIST
FACTION NOW
DISAPPOINTED
DRY Legislation
Held Up Pending
Investigation.

Prohibitionists intent upon forcing
action on the measure to make thu
nation bone dryy" for the period OF
the var were thrown into dIsmay yes
terday by the refusal of the Senate
Committee on Agriculture to vote out
the Jones amendment. Every assur-
ance had been given that the commit
tee would agree to report the amend
ment to the Senate without further ar
Sument. 1t was held up in order that
the committee might ascertain how
nearly cambridge Colby represented
the sentiment Of the Shipping Board In
his recent statement before the COM
mittee.
On top Of this disappointment for the
prohibition cause came a red hot state
mcat from Representative Randall OF
California, the lone Prohibitions.
member OF the House. charging that
Ecmocratic leaders had surrendered to
political expedienoy and the liquor
trust. and had dropped their support
q the amendment for fear of losing
control of Congress at the next cleo
ion.
Prohibition Leaders Worried.
RandaII's charge was received with
GT,azement by Senate leaders In the
prohibition fight. who were already
considerab bly, worried by the inaction
of the committee. The two develop
ments o fthe da served to spread dis
sension in the ranks and % make the
fight for the amendment appear diff
cult.
The charge made by Randall re-
lates to a supposed secret confer
ence said to have been held in
Washington Thursday night. at
which leaders in the cause agreed
with chiefs Of the Democratic or
ganization to drop their fight for
the amendment in order not to pre-
judice the coming elections. Will
liam Jennings Bryan. who appeared
before the Senate committee in sup
port of the amendment. is said to
have been one of the participants in
tn conference. Bryan today left
here for Chicago.
Here is the text of Randalrs
charge:
'T have this morning received
confirmation through confidential
sources that high authority in the
Democratic party had planned to
postpone at all hazards a war pro-
hibition enactment until after the
election. My amendment to the food
bill participated a situation in ad-
ministration circles which Is proper
ly described as a pandemonium. The
party in power is threatened by the
brewery and liquor interests in the
large cities with the loss of the next
House of RepresentatiVe es II prohib-
itton Is enacted now. On the other
hand failure to act now Is sure to
cost the Democrats a score of coun-
try districts. This matter was dis
cussed Thursday night at a secret
conference, and I am sorry to say
that there were present some Of the
most famous Democratic prohibi-
tionists in the United States"
When asked for an elaboration of
MS statement. Randall declined to
give any further information except
to reiterate that such a conference
had been held. He declared that his
information had come from one who
attended the conference and left in
disgust after learning that the party
fr&ders were determined to get out
from under" with respect to the
amendment.
Pledged to Secrecy,
Wy hllOlHldnL tOlO me eVery-
thing that was discussed at the
conference" Randall said, but
am pledged not to reveal any more
than 1 have. 1t took place in the
city of Washington, but I can't tell
where. Neither can 1 divulge the
names of any who attended"
Upon being asked whether the
last sentence of his statement re-
fered to Mr.. Bryan, Randall said:
GO and ask him"
Was Vance Mccormick chair
man Of the Democratic National
Committee there%
You had better inquire of Mr..
Mccormick" was RandalFs answer,
Mr.. Mccormick could not be
reached last night
The Senate Committee spent the
whole morning wrangling over the
statement made the other day by
cambridge Colby In opposition to the
amendment. Several members of
tine committee felt inclined to dis
pute his assertion that he represent
ed the sentiment of the entire Ship
ping Board in saying that ship
building efficiency would be impair
go Dy depriving the shipyard work
ers Of their beer.
Colby told the Committee vhsn
ne made his statement that he an
DeaFed In raannp.o