The New York herald., 1921-09-23
JAM OVER BEER BILL
CLOGS SENATE WORK
Wrangling Prevents Republi-
can Leaders From Bring
ing Up Tax Measure.
NEW TEST COMES TO-DAY
Shields of Tennessee, Who
Voted With Drys, Assails
Law and It's Inforccrs.
Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
WashIngton, ID. O.. Sent. 22.


New York Herald Bureau
Washington, ID. c., Sept. e2.
Republican leaders stood powerless to-
day to carry out their extensive legisla-
tive programme. including the tax re-
vision bill. while the wrangle over the
anti-beer bill continued with unahated
fury.
After several futile attempts to bring
up the tax BILL Senator Penro5e. chair
man OF the Finance Committee. left the
Senate chamber. apparently in disgust,
An hour or more before adjournment
Senator Smoot of Utah gave notice that
an effort would be made to bring the tax
bill up again tomorrow. Whether lead
ers can rally sufficient votes to shelve
the anti-beer bill and make way for tax
revision will develop tomorrow.
few minutes after the Senate met
Senator Sterling of South Dakota leader
of the radical "drys.' gained the floor
and moved to proceed to consideration
OF the anti-beer bill. The motion was
carried by vote of 81 to 23. Although
most Senators favored taking up the tax
bill promptly. they were fearful of pollti-
cal consequences If they voted against
proceeding TO consideration of the anti
beer bill.
Senator Willis (Ohio), one OF the
authors of the Campbell Willis bill, de-
MED reports that he had taken word
from the White House to the Senate
that the President had given his ap-
proval to the efforts to continue con-
sideration Of the anti-beer bill At .
o'clock the unfinished business" the
Borah bill for free tolls for American
coastwise ships through the Panama
Canal, automatically displaced the anti
beer bill. Senator Borah, In an effort
to break up the jam, offered temporarily
to lay aside the tolls bill, but the "wets"
objected.
Senator Sterling then moved again to
proceed to consideration of the anti
beer bill. Senator Reed (Mo.) pro-
ceeded to debate the motion. Senator
Sterling made point of order that the
motion was not debatable. Vice-Presi-
dent Coolidge, in doubt submitted the
point of order to the Senate. Senator
Reed held the foor and debated the
question of whether the Sterling motion
was debatable. The parliamentary sit
uation remained in this condition until
Senator Lodge moved to go into execu-
tive session and a few minutes later the
Senate quit for the day
Much OF the session was taken up by
Senator Shields (Tenn.). Democrat, a
prohibltionist. who vigorously assailed
the enforcement methods of the prohibi-
tion officials.
Il voted for prohibition said Senator
Shields. but there have been too many
of the predictions Of opponents of prohi-
bition verified by subsequent events. Ie
the original Volstead act do not
know who wrote it---had never been en-
acted. but in its stead a plain, common
sense. just measure to enforce the pro-
hibition amendment. prohibition would
have been a success. The people would
not have been indignant and they would
have been willing to give it fair
chance But here is drastic legislation.
setting up a system of espionage. inva-
sion of private homes, which has shocked
the American people and led 10 remon-
STRANGE and resistance"
Senator Shields denounced the prohi-
bition enforcement agents in Tennessee
as 'inferal scoudrels."