New-York tribune., 1920-03-24
Sweet Forced
To Grant Beer
Farley Tuesday
''Wets'' Win Victory in the
Legislature, Surprising
Even Senator Thompson,
Upper House Dry Leader
No Action This Session
Canvass Shows Passage of
Any Enforcement Bill
Is Extremely Unlik ely
sps~a,l Dispatch to The Tribune

Special Dispatch to The Tribune
ALBANY, March 23.LThc "wets" in
the Legislature scored victory to-
day when they forced Speaker Sweet
to grant hearing on all beer and
wine bills. 1t will be held next Tues
day afternoon in the Assembly cham
ber before the Senate Judiciary and
Assembly Excise committees.
Senator George F. Thompson, one of
the "dry" leaders and introducer of
the Anti-Saloon League prohibition
enforcement bill, was surprised when
he heard of it. All day he had been
petlrlon,ng Republican members or
the Senate 10 hold conference Oil
the prohibition enforcement bills. If
he can get enough signatures to
enforcement bill made a caucus meas
ure. He approached six Senators on
the subject to-day. He said, that
three agreed to the caucus, two asked
time to consider and one refused.
Action Unlikely This Session
Senator Thompson had sought to
have the conference held this week,
but when he learned of the hearing
bills he decided to put it off until next
week. If the Republican Senators re-
fuse to caucus on his bill, Thompson
will move to discharge the Judiciary
Committee from further consideration
of it. He has arranged with majority
leader ]. Henry Walters so that he
can make the motion at any time.
The indications now are that the
Republican Senators will do no more
than hold a conference on enforcement
and beer legislation. There is not
only little likelihood of their agree
ing, to caucus, but of any enforcement
legislation being enacted at this ses-
sion. Even Senator Thompson was not
over sanguine about the chances of his
enforcement bill.
but intend to make every effort to
have it passed." he said. "The Repub-
llcan party cannot afford to take any
other position than to enact legisla-
ton that will enable it to live up to
the Constitution of the United States.
The only motive | can see behind
the. effort to pass a beer bill is to
enable the. holders of large stocks of
pee peer to 60 into the United States courts
and get an injunction against the Vol
stead act for two or three months so
that they can dispose of it. In the
meantime they can go through the mo-
tions of testing out the beer law"
:. Colonel Ransom H. Gilett, Repub-
lican, of Columbia County, introduced
the principal wine and beer bill in the
Assembly, but as the result of con-
ference with Minority Leader James
J. Walker Of the Senate last week he
has introduced in the Assembly the
Walker $50 per cent beer bill Another
bill that will be considered at the hear
hn hat of
A: Cuvillier, permitting a per cent of
alcohol and the continuation of the
saloons. The brewers and liquor deal
ers of the New York City, at a meeting
last Friday, agreed to support the Gu
villier bill
Gillett Answers Anderson
Speaker Sweet, however. has made
canvass of the House on beer legisla-
ton and has let it be known that no
wet" Or "dry" bills of any kind will
be passed by the Assembly.
William II. Anderson, State Superin-
tendent Of the Anti-Saloon League, to-
day challenged Colonel Gillett to
Joint debate in his home county, as the
result of the Colonels statement that
the Anti-Saloon League does not re-
present the churches in Columbia
County.
AeC MIN come around next fall,
wnen there Will be something to talk
about" was Colonel Gillett's renlv to
the challenge.
The Rev. E. j. Littleton, of Buffalo.
has wired Assemblyman Louis A.
Cuvllier that he will be in ALBANY to-
morrow with "every important fact"
concerning Anderson and the Anti
Saloon League. Cuviier introduced the
resolution to investigate the league.