The New York herald., 1921-08-19
BEER BILL MUDDLED
into DEADLOCK ON (.
VITAL AMENDMENTS.
Senate and House Conferees
Unable to Agree, Either
on Stanley Measure
or Substitute.
PASSAGE NOW DUBIOUS
! Treasury Department Ex-
pected to Issue Permit for
the Brew OH Physicians
Prescriptions.
REED ATTACKS yOLSTEAD
Wayne B. Wheeler, Dry At
torney, Also Denounced in
Field Day for Fireworks
in Congress.
REED ATTACKS yOLSTEAD
Special Despatch to THE New yoHk HERALD.

Special Despatch to THE NEW YoRK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington ID. g., Aug. Is.
The conferees on TIE anti-beer bill
after an all day debate failed to reach
an agreement as to which to accept
the Stanley amendment, providing that
prohibition agents be severely penal
lied for searching without warrant
residences, baggage and automobiles
or the House substitute providing that
no home be searched without a war
rant unless there was reason to sus-
pect liquor was being made for sale or
sold there.
Altogether it was field day in Con-
gress on the prohibition question.
Among the happenings were:
Senator Ashurst (Ariz) bolted the
conference on the anti-beer bill be-
cause of what he believed to be an
effort to legalize the manufacture Of
Intoxicating liquor In private homes.
Wayne B. Wheeler, general counsel
for the Ant-Saloon League, was de-
nounced in the Senate by Senator Reed
tMo.) because of his participation in
the conference between the House and
Senate on the anti-beer bill.
Representative Volstead (Minn.), au-
thor Of the Volstead law and father of
the anti-beer bill. received raking
over the Goals at the hands of Senator
Reed.
Treasury May Act for the Sick.
The situation has become SO muddled.
with tho House unaiterably opposed to
the Stanley amendment, which the SEN
ate had adopted unanimously, that there
were indications that the legislation
might go over until after the recess
Should this happen, it Is likely that the
Treasury Department will allow the
manufacture and sale of beer for the
sick obtainable on doctors prescrip-
tions.
Nearly everybody in the Senate who
had been notably concerned in prohi-
bition. for and against. had part in the
days proceedings. The first round oc-
CURED sccn after the Senate convened
and the second almost at the close OF
the day, after Mr.. Wheeler had issued "A
statement attacking Senator Reed. Sem
ators Stanley tKy) and Brussard tLa)
assisted Senator Reed in tine assault or
the prohibition forces. while Senator's
Sterling (s. d.. who is in charge of
the beer bill in conference, and Willis
tOhio). one of the authors of the meas
ure. championed the cause of the drys.
Senator Reed started 1t all by demand
tng of Senator Sterling whether Mr..
Wheeler had. as the morning news
papers reported, been allowed to parti-
cipate in the deliberations of the con-
ference committee considering the beer
bill.
Reed Denounces wheeler.
'sWayne B. Wheeler was not closeted
with the conferees during the meeting
of yesterday" Senator Sterling replied.
'.Mr. Wheeler came into the conference
room after we had concluded our work
for the day and decided on questions
He was there a few minutes before we
finally left the room. He had nothing
to do with any vote or action"
When Senator Reed inquired whether
Mr.. Wheeler had been with the con-
ferees the day before Senator Sterling
replied:
II will answer the question with ref
erence to yesterday. 1t seems to be a
little bit impertnent Tor Senator to
make an inquiry as to who was present
when the conferees were In session.
decline to answer further than I have
answered"
Senator Reed turned TO the Senate
with smile.
II am quite content" he said. with
that sort of an answer. The admission
OF paid lobbyist. Il he was admitted,
20 interfere in these deliberations be-
tween these two bodies OF men meeting
in conference Is an innovation and a
piece of unwarranted and unmitgated
insolence on the part OF any man who
undertook the task. 1t Is destructive
OF legislation and unfair
Have we three bodies OF the Legisra-
ture one the Senate. another the House
and the other the Anti-Saloon League?'
Senator Reed demanded "If WAYNE h
Wheeler, representing the Anti-Saloon
League, why not someb body representing
the saloon league. IL there is such a
thing?
Turns Fire ON yoIstend.
1.-THE truth Is this is lobbying gone
mad. The lobbyist who hibcrnates here
In Washington. who goes before COM
mittees to argue In the open or who
buttonhoes members of Congress has
for long tno been a stencil in the
public nostrils. But II appears this gen
tiernan--and 7 take the refusal OF the
Senator from South Dakota TO answer as
an admission has tho cool impudence to
carry his propaganda and his presence
ff,tn thp spgrct III mt sacred rnnffdppcas
Of the conference room"
Senator Reed shifted HIS assault to
Representative Volstead. saying he al
ways had been willing to give the pro-
hibition amendment. after II had been