Baxter Springs news., 1919-07-18
RADICAL Faction TO
Make LIQUOR BILL
MORE. DRASTIC
enforcement Bill May Be Vetoed II
Provisions Are too Drastic,
Warning Given Radicals
FARMERS COULD NOT
MAKE APPLE CIDER
Conservatives Fear Radicals win Go
too Far and May Cause Revo,
luton Of Feeling on the
Liquor Question

Washington, July l6.-The prOhi'
bition enforcement bill as drafted by
the radical section Of the dry forces
Is 80 drastic that it might create q re-
volution Of feeling throughout the
country on the whole liquor question,
according to conservative members of
the prohibition faction, when they be-
gan an effort to modify the more dras-
tic provisions Of the bill. Defeat in
the senate If too severe restrictions
were added to the enforcement bill,
was the warning given by the con-
servatives to the radical element.
Word was spread during the day
that other prohibitiOnists were pre-
pairing to write into the bill provis-
ion, stricken out by the committee,
which would prohibit q mans "using"
any little liquor he might happen to
have around the house. Under the
bill now before the house, it is ex-
tremely doubtful, q member Of the
judiciary committee said today,
whether q person could give q drink
of whiskey to q friend at his own fire.
side without running the risk Of ar
rest. There were<many informal con-
ferences at which some Of the drastic
provisions of the bill, as pointed out
by Representative Pou, democrat Of
North Carolina, and q pioneer prohi-
bitionist, were called up like a bar
room ghost to keep the radicals from
going too far.
The farmers wife who makes q
quart of blackberry wine at home for
use in her own family, Mr.. Pou said,
could be prosecuted and sent to jail.
The farmers home, where q little
cider is made for the family, would
be a nuisance under the law, according
to Mr.. POu, who declared that Russia
In the days of the cars highest pow
er never made q law that was so far
reaching.
Members from some Of the south
ern states were questioned by eastern
and western representatives as to the
volume of liquor turned out by noun
tain distillers and known as moon
shine" This was q question on which
they were unable to give first-hand
information. Mr.. POu told the house
the other day that in a dozen states
that have already adopted prohibition
there are in operation more Illicit
stills than there ever were saloons at
any time in the history Of those states.
But while some of the radicals ex-
press confidence that they will be able
70 amend the bill so as to make it even
more drastic than the committee at
tempted, Chairman VOlstead told
members today he was satisfied that
It would 20 through now as substan-
tally drawn. It has stood up under
the attack Of anti-prohibitionists VINO
have failed to eliminate a single sec
ton, and Mr.. Volstead believes those
who are bent on making it still more
drastic will yield to cooler heads who
insist II should be passed in its pres
ent form.
Indications tonight were that con-
sideratiOn of the measure would not
be resumed tomorrow.
"UMess set aside by special rule,
the house could take up this bill to-
morrow and reach a vote by Satur-
day." said Representative IgOe, demo-
crat of Missouri, in charge OF the
minority fight against it. This pre-
dictiOn was based, however, on the as
sumption that the radical element
would not attempt finally to force
through added restrictions.