Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-15
HOUSE VETS
PUSH BATTLE
TO EASE LAW
Defeated Yesterday They
Resume Effort to Mod
ify Legislation.

Washington, July 15.-Before the
prohibition enforcement bill was
taken up in the house today Speak
! er Gillett ruled that Representative
! Gallivan, Democrat, Massachusetts,
! in declaring in an address yester-
day, that he had heard members of
congress had stored away enough
whisky to last them 20 years, had
not transgressed rules of the house.
Representative Blanton, Demo-
crat, of Texas, attacked the speech
of the Massachusetts, member and
on a question of personal privilege
was proceeding with the defense Of
prohibition members against the
charge of liquor boarding when the
speaker cut him short by announc-
ing that Mr.. Gallivan's speech was
in order. Mr.. Blanton then tried to
offer a motion to have the speech
stricken from the record, but there
was objection.
Vets Continue Battle.
With indications there would be
several times yesterday reached
such a stage that proceedings were
conducted in confusion and dis
order, resumption of the prohibition
enforcement measure debate was
expected to be the only business in
the house today. Opponents of pro-
hibition, assisted in some instances
by members of the dry" forces who
have expressed belief that some
features of the legislation proposed
are too drastic, were expected to
continue their fight for moderation.
Numerous amendments were
ruled out under points of order, and
a straight out motion to repeal the
war time act was defeated over
whelmingly.
Washington, July 15.-Bone dry
prohibitionists swept everything
before them in the house late yes
terday.
Several amendments, presented
by the vets, to test out sentiment
on various proposed notifications
of the prohibition enforcement
bill were either voted down or
ruled out on points of order.
The chief fight came over an
amendment offered by Representa-
tive Dyer, Missouri, to increase
the legal amount of alcoholic con-
tent in intoxicating liquor from
one-haIf of / per cent to ga per
cent. This amendment was de-
feated on a count of votes by tell
ers by a vote of 80 to 151.
Still, What Is Intoxicating?
Another amendment, similarly
voted down, struck out entirely
the clause defining intoxicating
liquor.
Representative Blanton, Demo
crat, Texas, was howled down
when he attempted to make sec
ond argument in favor of his point
of order against an amendment By
Representative Pell, Democrat, |
New York, to permit jury to de-
eide what was Intoxicating. The
vote was "a to 141.
Several proposed amendments, |
ruled out on points of order on
the ground that they were not !
germane to enforcement legisla- |
ton, included one by Representa- |
tive Igoe, Missouri, repeating war
time prohibition; one by Gard, |
Ohio, authorizing the president to |
lift the ban on beer and light wines |
when demobilization had progress !
ed sufficiently to warrant it. and !
somewhat similar one by |
Steele, Pennsylvania.
IL Per Cent Wine Beaten.
On. a point Of order, an amend
ment by Representative Lea, Dem !
Gfnl Ia fn a
of wines containing Ii /
per cent alcohol by weight, was /
stricken out. Failure of the |
amendment, Mr.. Lea said, meant !
a loss of $12,000,000 to the wine
interests of California.
Among the speakers was Repre-
sentative John w. Rainey, Chicago,
who urged the adoption of the 2%
per cent amendment.
Mr.. Rainey referred to the vote
On prohibition in Chicago as show
ing the sentiment of the people.
He said the wet majorities of both
men and women's votes, aggregat-
ing more than 250,000, was con-
elusive evidence that the people
are against prohibition.
Crime Laid to Poverty.
81 maintain proverty is respon-
sible for more crime and misery
han alcohol" said Mr.. Rainey. Il
am going to watch with consider
able interest for the votes of the
upon the minimum
wage bill. 1 sincerely hope that
t this bill goes to the president
le will veto it,
An amendment which was
changed the word liquor
o beverage in the definition Sec
ion as a means of exempting ex-
.ract manufacturers.
FLEET TO SAIL JULY 10.