New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
Referendum Is
Urged to Delay
NY. Wet Law
Republicans Believed Seek.
ing to Dodge Legislation
That Might Menace Po-
litical Future of Sweet
From StaD Correspondent :


ALBANY, March 9.-In an effort to
prevent the passage of any light wine
and beer bill in the present session of
the Legislature, lest it injure the DO
litical ambitions Of Speaker Sweet, the
Republican leaders here are now plan
ming to put through referendum on
the liquor question.
This referendum, which was the sub
iect to-day of informal conferences
between Speaker Sweet and Senator J..
Henry Walters, president pro tenn Of
the Upper House, will submit three
questions to the people at the next
election. These are:
81. Are you in favor of legislation
permitting the manufacture and sale
Of beer?
permitting the manufacture and sale
Oh beer and light wine?
.. Are you in favor of a strict
Interpretation of the Volstead act
which forbids the manufacture and
sale of any liquids for beverage pur-
poses containing more than one-half
OF l per cent of alcoholic"
While the Sweet Walters conferences
were being held Colonel Ransom H.
Gillett. of Columbia County, who intro
duced the light wine and beer bill in
the Assembly last night, was laying
would result in the passage of his bill
in the lower house at least.
Intends to Count Members
II intend the members of this As
sembly shall stand up and be counted"
Cnl
no doubt that when they do we will put
this legislation through. 1t was bene-
fetal in France, where it governed the
sale of beers and wines to the men who
fought over there as the thirty-five
service men in the Assembly can testi-
fy."
Colonel Gillett is one Of the thirty
Republicans in the House who saw
service in France. Colonel Gillett be-
lievess he will have no trouble in
rounding up more than the necessary
number among the Republicans who did
not go to the front to combine with
the Democrats for passage of his bill
new beer bill was introduced to-
day by Assemblyman Maurice Bloch,
Democrat, of New York 1t is patterned
on the beer law recently enacted in
New Jersey, which permits the manu-
facture and sale OF liquors for bever-
O.CU
Of alcohol or less by weight
"This BILL" said Assemblyman Bloch,
represents the minimum demand Of
those persons who believe that per-
sonal liberty should be safeguarded by
our laws. We are now lined up with
New Jersey in a great effort to pre-
serve the rights of free people and
the true meaning of republican form
OF government"
Would Delay Legislation
II the referendum proposal of Sweet
and Walters is carried it will preclude
the possibility of any "wet" legisla-
ton, which now exceeds a dozen bills s,
being adopted now. Sweet controls the
Assembly and Walters has what
amounts to .stranglehold on the Sen
ate.
Meanwhile Assemblyman Louis Gu
villier is busy preparing the evidence to
be submitted to the Assembly Judiciary
Committee, which has been directed to
investigate the Anti-Saloon League.
II intend to have John d. Rockefeller
subpen@d," said Mr.. Cuvillier. ut has
come to my knowledge that he pays to
William Anderson, superintendent of
the Anti-Saloon League, yearly SAL
ary of $4,000, at the rate of $1,250 a
month by check through the Fifth
Avenue DTdHCH " LIE CO1A A1ASHs4iSo
Bank, New York"
Mr.. Cuvillier, in making this charge,
made public letter from Edward S.
Webster. lawyer, of 60 Wall Street,
New York, detailing the old rumor of
the main sources of the Anti-Saloon
League was the Rockefeller interests.
This was denied in an interview in The
Tribune year ago by Mr.. Rockefeller,
who said that the league had received
less than $4,000 of the Rockefeller
money.
Asked last night about Cuvillier's
assertion that he drew $4,000 salary
from John D. Rockefeller jr., Mr. And
erson said:
"It is absolutely untrue in every par
ticular, and yet no more untrue than
lot of things Mr.. Cuvillier has said"
Anderson Reneal,s
Catholic Attack
William H. Anderson. state supern-
=