Omaha daily bee., 1919-06-26
CUT
BILL F 0 R
DRY U. s.
DRAF 7 { D
Will Be Reported Out Thurs
day by House Judiciary
Committee; Decision After
A|l-Day Sesson.

Washington, June 25.-A straight
clear-cut bill for enforcement of
wartime prohibition will be report
ed out Thursday by the house
judiciary committee.
Decision to separate the wartime
from the constitutional prohibition
enforcement measure-said to be the
most drastic liquor bill ever present
ed to congress-was reached after
an all-day session. A proposal that
two distinct bills be drafted was
rejected Tuesday, but it was brought
up again by Representative Walsh,
republican, of Massachusetts,, and
was pending when a motion to ad-
journ abruptly ended the discus
sion.
Plan Quick Passage.
There was no indication as to
how the committee would have
voted, but several of the leading pro-
hibition members agreed, in view of
the manifest differences between the
two issues, and the possibility that
the sale Of beer and light wines
might be permitted until January
by presidential proclamation, that
the wisest thing to do was to report
out the wartime bill the first thing
Thursday, and the constitutional bill
later in the day. In this way there
is every assurance, they said, that
the wartime bill would be passed
probably by both houses before the
end of the month, at which time the
dry" act becomes effective.
Joker Defeated. 4
An amendment BY Representative
Steel, democrat, Pennsylvania.
which, it was admitted later, would
have nullifed the entire law, got
through by a vote of 9 to 8, subse-
quently was reconsidered and de-
feated, 10 to 7. The amendment
stipulated that provisions of the
enforcement act, except as they re-
late to interstate and foreign COM
merce, should not be effective IN
any state until ratified by the peo-
pie. 1t was said that one or two
members voted for the amendment
as "a joke"
When the committee adjourned
without acting on the Walsh mo-
ton for separate enforcement bills,
Representative Gard, democrat,
Ohio, returned to the house and in
troduced the enforcement bill Of
fered at the last session. The CON-
mittee measure that will go to the
house is considered far less drastic
than the general bill. During the
day democratic leaders in the house
made inquiry of Chairman Vol
stead as to when the liquor bill
might be expected and were in
formed that it might not be ready
before Saturday.
Jump Into Fight.
After more than a dozen COM
mittee roll calls on various pro-
visions, none of general public
interest, Mr.. Welsh, Mr.. Gard and
others jumped actively into the
fight with a vigorous demand for
separation of the measures not
withstanding the previous action of
the committee. Mr.. Walsh de-
clared the committee ought to take
the bull by the horns, get the war
time enforcement bill introduced at
the last session before the house
and urge quick enactment. Then
if the president wanted to lift the
ban it would only be necessary, he
said, to suspend the act providing
for wartime enforcement and not
interfere with legislation affecting
the constitutional prohibition.
Gong Ends Meeting.
The committee, Mr.. Walsh
added. then could go ahead and
make ready machinery for perma
nent prohibition. Unless the ques-
tions were separated there would
be no responsibility of enacting
any law befote July /, Mr.. Walsh
stated, adding that he would go be-
fore the rules committee and get a
rule by which the measure could
be passed promptly and without
extended debate. Several members
of the committee, including Chair
man Volstead, took part in the dis
cussion that followed. A vote was
within sight, but the house gong,
calling members to roll cali, sud
denly ended the meeting.
There has been no straight pro-
hibition and anti-prohibition align
ment in the voting heretofore on
the various amendments. Some oi
the ardent prohibitionists have sup
ported amendments eliminating
drastic features, and they have
agreed that it is necessary to separ-
ate the measures in order to gel
action before the country goes
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