Milford chronicle., 1919-07-18
CONGRESS- GIVES VETS
A KNOCKOUT BLOW

In the House of Representatives il
Washington on Monday the first tes
votes on the Volstead war time anC
constitutional prohibition bill devel
oped an overwhelming strength in
favor of the most drastic methods Oi
prohibition enforcement.
The votes for drastic enforcement
/ commanded at times nearly a two
thirds majority of those who attended
the sessions.
Although no roll call votes could be
taken while the bill was being con-
sidered for amendment in committee
of the whole, nothing in the strength
shown on division or votes by tellers
gave rise to hope that when the roll
call votes are taken on the important
amendments later the result of the
committee deliberations will in any
way be changed.
Before the committee rose Monday
afternoon all important amendments
to the war time prohibition title
of the bill had been acted upon. Only
perfecting amendments were agreed
to.
Resentment of wet members against
the whip of the Anti Saloon League
gave way to resentment against the
action of their colleagues in response
to this lash and before the House con-
cluded consideration of the bill, Rep
resentative Gallivan (Mass.), Demo-
cret, and wet, took his colleagues to
task and dared those who vote dry to
publish in the Congressional Record
a true statement as to the amount of
intoxicating liquors each has stored
up against the long dought.
The first vote on the main prohibi-
tion question came on the amendment
offered by Representative Dyer (Mo),
fthe Judiciary Commit
tee, to permit traffic in beverages con-
tanning 2.75 per cent of alcohol This
amendment came after a motion by
IgOe (Mo.), Democrat, |
to repeal the war time prohibition act
had been knocked out on a point of
order as not germane to the pending
bill. The Dyer amendment was de- (
feated on a vote by tellers, 80 to ISL I
Following this and a perfecting
Representative Igoe offer
ed another amendment to strike out
the greater part of the first section of .
war time prohibition. This was de-
ieated by teller vote, "a to 141.
The next significant vote came on
an amendment offered by Represen
-ative Pell IN. ", to strike out the
definition of intoxicating liquors and
substitute a definition which are by
4 jury declared to be in fact intoxi-
,ating." This was lost on a division
Iote by rs to 143.
The final important motion was by
Longworth (Ohio), who
moved to strike out the entire first
section of Title l. serving notice that
f this motion prevailed the would
move to strike out the entire title
This motion was defeated by so to 129.
Two members of the House furnish
ID comedy relief during the obsequies.
Blanton (Texas), who
las swung his one club of objection
o unanimous consent requests until
lis popularity is far from dazzling,
ought to show how dangerous it was
o permit the one-half of one per cent
efinition to be changed.
In doing so, however, he advertised
o the world hitherto unknown sit
ation, namely, that Texas gentlemen
re particularly in need of the protec-
iOu Ol pIOulDlllOu ludSmuCu as tests
Which Mr.. Blanton himself witnessed
roved that it takes much less alcohol ,
o affect their sobriety than in the
ases of residents of st. Louis, Chica- /
o, Philadelphia, New York and Bos- {
on.
There were indications that Presi-
ent Wilson may take hand in shap- ;
lg legislation for enforcement of pro
ibition. The President had a confer
nee with Secretary of the Treasury !
lass and Commissioner of Internal
.evepue Roper. 1t is understood that {
rohibition enforcement was discuss {
d. :
When the handling of intoxicants I
-as licensed by the government !
trough excise taxes enforcement fell :
, the internal revenue bureau of the !
Secretary Glass and Com :
issioner Roper are opposed, however,
} lodging enforcement in this bureau I
hen enforcement has nothing to do q
ith tax collection. +
! &