Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-07-12
JOHN BARLEYCORN
MAKES PLEA FOR
REPR|EvE BEFORE
THE LOWER HOUSE:
Last Great Day Of Prohibition
0ratory is Staged When En-
forCement Measure is Up
For Argument, =
MANY DRY MEMBERS
OPPOSE STRICT BILL
Provisions Against Private
Stocks and Defining Intoxi-
eating Liquor Meets With
Strong Opposition,


Washington, July lin the course
of a five-hour debate in the house
today on the prohibition bill, the
liquor traffic was likened to a con-
victed criminal, appealing for re-.
prieve while some of the more drastic
provisions of the measure were de-
nounced as an invasion of the liberty,
hospitality and habits of the home.
1t probably was the last great day
of prohibition oratory in the house.
Not all of the twelve hours set aside
for general debate had been used at
the close of an all-day discussion,
which ranged from technical argu-
ment on constitutional questions to
straight stump speech for prohibition
and its enforcement.
All Could Not Be Heard.
Chairman Volstead of the judiciary
committee, in charge of the bill and
Representative Igoe of Missouri, lead
er of the minority. were unable to al
lot all of the time desired by men,
bers anxious to be heard. The speech
making will continue tomorrow. but
the house will not begin actual work
on the bill, section by section, until
Monday.
Again today ardent prohibitionists
declared they could not support the
enforcement bill because of its provi-
sions, and others contended that once
congress defines intoxicating liquors
as a beverage containing 2 of l per
cent alcohol the federal law for such
enforcement cannot become effective
without concurrent action by the sew
eral states,
The principal "dry" argument
against the measure today was made
by Representative Moon, democrat of
Tennessee, who declared that unless
it was materially amended he would
feel in duty bound to vote against it
or else express his disapproval by not
voting at all.
Worse Than Force Bill.
For twenty-two years, Mr.. Moon
said, he had stood upon the floor of
the house and upheld the cause of
prohibition, but the enforcement bill,
which he characterized as "imprac-
ticable and senseless as anything ever
suggested" should be opposed "be-
cause il is worse in all its features
than the infamous force bill" He as
serted congress was going beyond its
constitutional powers in attempting
to say a man should not put liquor in
his home, and in attempting TO de-
fine Intoxicating liquors by limiting
the alcoholic content to Il of l per
cent.
1t was apparent tonight that pro-
hibition leaders were somewhat dis |
concerted by persistent attacks on the
enforcement bill by members of the
house regarded heretofore as certain
to support it. They still claimed, !
however, to have enough votes to put
it through substantially as drafted, al |
though they said radical changes un- |
doubtedly would be made by the SEN |
ate. The drive by the VETS appar- |
emily had broken up all attempts !
threatened several days ago, to make |
the bill more drastice than in its pres.
ent form.
Charges were reiterated during the
discussion today that the measure was
largely drawn by the general counsel
for the anti-saloon league. and that
anti-liuuor organizations had given |!
warning that no man need hope to
become nominee for president next
year unless he stood squarely for rigid
enforcement of the prohibition law.
Old Case of Maine Cited.
Representatives Fitzgerald of Mas
sachusetts, and Upshaw, of Georgia,
both democrats, touched upon the ex-
tremes of the whole prohibition ques-
ton, the former declaring he would
put forward the state of Maine as an
example of the folly of attempting to
enforce dry law.
Mr.. Upshaw made straight appeal
for passage of the bill, after recitirg
the evil, as he had found it, in the
liquor traffic.