The sun., 1919-10-29
War Time Enforcement Act
Upheld by Vote of
65 to 20.
WEAK FIGHT BY VETS
President to Declare War
at End as Soon as
Possible.
DRYS PLAN NO ACTION
Deny They Seek to Delay
Treaty Ratification to Head
. Off Liquor Period.
DRYS PLAN NO ACTION
Special Despatch 10 The Sun.

Special Despatch to The Sun.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2S.-The hopes
of the anti-prohibitionists, raised high
yesterday when the President vetoed
the Volstead measure to enforce war
time as well as constitutional prohibi.
ton, fell back to earth with a thud
to-day when the Senate, following the
lead Of the House, passed the enforce
ment bill over the veto without any
trouble
SiXty-five Senators voted for over
riding the veto and but twenty op-
posed it. Eight Senators voting aye
could have switched and the measure
would still have the necessary two
thirds majority. The bill made eff.
fective Immediately legal machinery
for preventing the sale of beverages
containing more than one-half of 1
per cent. alcohol.
The one ray of light for the vets
to-day was the reiterated statement
from officials of the White House
that as soon as it was legally posi-
BILE the President would proclaim the
end Of the war and the end of demo
bilization, thus automatically ending
the present dry act, which is sup
posedly war emergency law enacted
under the broad war powers of the
Government.
Wilson to Act Promptly.
Once the German peace treaty Is
ratified by the Senate, or failing that
If Congress adopts resolution de-
claring the war at an end. the Presi-
, dent will put an end to the present dry
act, leaving the country wet unit
January 16. This can be stated of
! ficially. If that occurs, no matter
what their desires may he. the mos
ardent prohibition leaders cannot en-
act any law to keep the country dry
until January 16. when the constl-
tutional ban on liquor becomes effec-
tive.
This was admitted to THE SUN to-
night by dry leaders in Congress. The
reason for this is that the wartime
prohibition act was passed under the
very general and broad war powers
and was passed ostensibly to prevent
waste in foodstuffs through using
/ them in the manufacture of alcoholic
beverages. The technical end of the
war through ratification OF the peace
| treaty or a declaration by Congress
would prevent the further use of this
power
Realizing this fact dry leaders will
make no attempt to put through other
prohibition legislation before January
16. Senator Sheppard (Texas)., who
steered the prohibition amendment
| through the Senate, said to THE Sun
tonight that nothing of this sort
would be attempted
Prohibition leaders had counted up-
! on the country reaching the effective
| date OF constitutional prohibition, Jan
uary l6, 1920. without reopening of
| saloons, and there was some talk of
| an attempt to delay ratification of the
| peace treaty to head Off a wet period
| but Senator's who have taken an active
| part In the prohibition campaign de
! nounced reports that they would de
| lay the treaty simply to keep the
| liquor traffic from getting a foOthold
| In the comparatively brief period re-
naming before the country will go
| dry for good.
Formal Denial Made.
A formal denial was made at head
quarters of the Anti-Saloon League that
It's officers would take part In any move
ment calculated to delay the treaty
League officers stuck 10 the opinion thar
| 1t would be necessary hrst TO ratify the
! Austrian treaty before lifting the war
time prohibition ban. This is said to
have been the ruling OF Attorney Cen
eral Palmer. The anti-saloon men de-
clared their position was not altered by
| the fact that President Wilson was pre-
pared to cut through legal doubt and
wipe out law the necessity for which
he believes to have passed.
Unless the President is able to declare
the war and rehabilitation at an end
and permit a brief respite for the dis
tilleries and banks heavily Interested
financially in the bulk of unsold liquor
in the country the sixty odd million gal
Ions OF whisky in bond will be a total
loss to the owners
| It is estimated by officials here that
the tax OF 36.40 a gallon has been paid
| on about l0.000.000 gallons OF whiskey
80 that this would mean an additional
loss of S64,000.0 900 20 the owners of the
| bonded whiskey. on about 100000
| gallons II the ban Is not lifted at all.
or is not lifted soon enough TO permit
I the sale OF the whiskey. the Government
will lose considerably more than $780,
| 000, ,00e in taxes which II might other
| wise collect.
Only a weak night was put up in the
Senate against putting the Nolstead bill
Through and overriding the Presidents
veto Senator Sterling CN, d.. asked