New-York tribune., 1919-07-09
Vets Find Arguments Fail;
One Tells House of Old
Woman Sent to Jail for
Making Blackberry Wine
La Cuardia in a Tilt
Tells Southerner If People
From Dry States Kept Out,
N. Y. Would Be Sober
Nep York Tribune
IynsI;noyon Ruredu

N<v York Tribune
Washinpton Bureau
WASHINGTON, July s.-Unable to
make progress against the overwhelm-
ing dry sentiment in the House by
any other method, the "wet" minority
resorted to ridicule tonight as a means
of softening some OF the harsher pro-
visions of the prohibition enforcement
act.
The Volstead omnibus bill for enforc.
ing both wartime and constitutional
prohibition was taken up in the House
following the approval of special rule
for its consideration by a vote OF 22o
TO 50. This vote and the one imme-
diately preceding it on a motion max.
ing an immediate vote on the SPECIAL
rule in order, which was carried 229 to
Sc. gives fair indication of the proper
tionate strength OF the "wets" and the
"drys" in the lower House.
Dilatory tactics were employed by
and vets early in the day TO impede
consideration of the bill. Points OF no
quorum and the insistence OF the vets
upon full reading of the bill delayed
the opening of general debate upon
the measure until o'clock. There.
after Representative Phil Campbell
and Representative Good, both Prohibi-
tionists, who occupied the chair during
the later part of the afternoon, declined
to recognize vets who rose to make
motions for ON adjournment.
Will Delay Vote q Week
General debate under the rule adopt
ed by the dry majority is limited to
twelve hours. Thereafter the bill will
be considered under the five-minute
rule. A vote probably cannot be
reached, however, within week.
Serious argument upon the bill by
vets to-day was without effect upon
their opponents. 1t soon became ap-
parent to the vets that their only re-
sort was to ridicule. Representative
Gallivan, Democrat, of Massachusetts,
indicated tonight that in addition to
the half-dozen serious motions to be
put forward by the vets, amendments
will be pressed for the suppression OF
coca cola, Peruna, tobacco and candy.
Vets were encouraged tonight by
an apparent split in the ranks Of the
drys over some Of the provisions of
the enforcement legislation. Repre-
sentative Pou, of North Carolina,
conscientious prohibitionist and a
leader of one branch of the drys, made
the fat statement upon the floor that
he could not vote for The bill in its
present form. He feared that If so
drastic a measure were enacted the law
would be entirely disregarded.
Liquor Issue of Future
Representative Campbell. chairman
Of the Rules Committee, answered OBJ
jections of vets to limiting general
debate upon the bill to twelve hours
with the statement that This is not
the last prohibition act"
"This bill will have to be amended
by every Congress for years to come"
he said.
Representative Gallivan carried this
idea further.
"You won't be running on a platform
of the league of nations in 1920" he
told his colleagues. THE issue will
be whether you'll vote for 2. 3 or
8 rer cent liquor bill. With this bill
you will inject into all Congressional
fights of the future the alcoholic
liquor question"
Chairman Volstead of the Judiciary
Committee, in charge of the bill. sug-
gested to prohibitionists this after
noon that they make certain the con-
tinuation of prohibition until the
eighteenth amendment goes into effect
by amending the enforcement bill to
place prohibitive taxes on liquor. AS
a tentative schedule he suggested tax
of S25 gallon on beer, of S35 gallon
on wine and $50 gallon on whiskey.
Hysteria. Says La Gaurdia
"A brief inspection Of this bill shows
Il is not the product Of mature deliDer-
nl Ix n tn
Guardia Of New York asserted in debate
upon the special rule. ut shows con-
ciusively that it is the result Of hys-
terra. But it has the enthusiastic ap-
proval Of the lobbyists protecting GER
tain interests who are dopey with mar
cotics and Shiny with syrup.
IL cannot see the necessity for
jamming this legislation through at
this time. The Constitutional amend
ment does not become operative until
January l6, and there are ample pro-
visions in the original wartime act
for its enforcement"
Representative Upshaw. Democrat,
Of Georgia. asked Mr.. La Guardia if he
had ever known a time when the liquor
interests were ready to have their busi-
ness put out Of commission.
THE moonshiners Of Kentucky and,
ttfC COusu otS WY oH~sNHo ~ SSs shso
legislation through. because their busi-
ness will increase" Mr.. La Guardia
replied.
When Mr.. Upshaw was able to make
himself heard above the laughter he
gave notice that he would answer Mr..
La Guardia's moonshining remarks
later.
Il do not doubt that the gentleman
is an authority on the subject" the
New York member retorted.
Tells Of Thirsty Visitors
"lf the people from the dry states
would keep out OF New York City we
would have no drunks there" he con-
tinusd.
Again Representative Upshaw in
terrupted:
Does the gentleman mean to say
that his city does not want the trade
Of the glorious dry SOUTH"
Absolutely not" Mr.. La Guarda re-
piled ernphatically. at keeps our
conyfs cop0estAdv