Evening journal., 1919-06-28
DRY LAW DEBATE
OFF TILL JULY I
Appropriation Bill Forces
L quor Problem Over
Until Alter Holiday
SOME STILL TALK
OF REPEAL MEASURE

WASHINGTON. June 2s.-No effort
Will be made TO rush prohibition en-
forcement legislation through the
House. Republican leaders decided yes
terday.
Although a combined bill, with sep
arate provisions for enforcing wartime
and constitutional prohibition, was re
| ported by the judiciary cOmmitte by a
vote Of II TO ,. II is probable that its
consideration VIII not begin until after
the 4th Of July holidays.
A special rule would be necessary for
its consideration, and Republican leader
Mondell, with the majority Of the steer
ing committee. say this rule should not
be granted until all the conference re-
ports on the appropriation bill are
passed
Il do not see how IL will be possible
TO consider the prohibition legislation
until the week after the ith Of July
holidays, because OF the press OF i'm
portant appropriation matters" said
Mr.. Mondell, "and I shah oppose any
effort to obtain a rule for earlier con-
sideration."
1T is now impossible TO pass the
wartime enforcement legislation before
July 1, and, therefore, ! am in favor OF
giving careful consideration to the bill,
taking plenty OF time for IT, Person
ally, / favored a separate bill for war
time prohibition, and had that been re-
ported out by the committee special
rule making il In order Monday would
have been granted.
"The combined bin IS so far-reachlng
that it would not consent TO a hasty
consideration.
The feeling still prevails in Congress
that some action will be taken 90 re-
peal wartime prohibition, or that. at
least IL will not continue in force long,
and for that reason the "drys' are not
very Jealous i'm their efforts TO rush
through the enforcement legislation.
Prominent "drys" who point out that
the wartime act was passed only TO
conserve food believe The spirit OF the
law can be carried out adequately by
the enforcement provisions in the war
time act Itself.
The House committee again refused
TO report separate bills for wartime and
constitutional prohibition. a motion TO
that effect being defeated in the COM
mitlee by a vote Of 40 20 6. Members
ef the committee who favored two bills
believed Chairman NOlstead had De
cided TO approve such plan when late
last night he introduced as a separate
measure the wartime enforcement bill,
which was reported TO the House by
the judiciary committee at the last ses-
sion. Mr. NOlstead, however, voted for
the combined bill yesterday.
An eleventh-hour amendment was at
tached TO the bill through the efforts OF
Representative Steele, Of Pennsylvania.
The steele amendment will allow manu-
facturerfs Of soft drinks and near-beers
90 use intoxicating liquors-beverages
containing more than One-half Of 4 per
cent OF alcohol-in the making Of non
intoxicating drinks. The only restric-
ton is that the prohibition" drink,
after the amount Of alcohol is reduced
must not contain more than one-haf OF
1 per cent. Of alcohol.
The text Of the Steele amendment
reads:
"a manufacturer OF any beverage
containing less than One-half OF per
centum Of alcohol by volume may, on
making application and giving such
bond as the commissioner shall pre-
scribe. be given a permit to develop In
the manufacture thereof a liquid con-
tanning more than One-half OF 4 per
centum Of alcohol by volume, but be-
fore any such liquid is Withdrawn from
the factory or otherwise disposed Of
the alcoholic contents thereof shall
under such rules and regulations as
the commissioner may prescribe be re-
duccd below such one-half Of 1 per
centum Of alcohol. The alcohol re-
moved from such liquid, II evaporated
and not condensed and saved, shall pay
no tax; If saved, shall be subject 20