Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-05
SMOKING BAN LEFT
T0DEPARTMENTS
Substitute Amendment Put
in Sundry Civil Measure
After Senate Debate.

Heads of executive departments and
Independent establishments of the gov
ernment are directed to promulgate
and enforce orders against smoking in
buildings occupied by the government,
in an amendment to the sundry civil
bill adopted by the Senate today.
The amendment was offered by Sena-
tor Wadsworth of New York, as
substitute for the appropriations COM
mittee amendment which made Smok-
ing in the government buildings mis-
demeanor punishable by a fine.
Withdrayvs Point of Order.
The WadsworIh amendment was Of
fered after lengthy debate. in which
the anti-smoking amendment was
both supported and attacked vigorous
ly. Senator Robinson of Arkansas, at
first made point of order against
the committees anti-smoking amend
ment, but withdrew 1t and gave his
approval to the Wadsworth substitute,
the text of which follows:
"The heads of executive departments
and Independent establishments Of the
government are hereby directed to is
sue and enforce such regulations as
will prevent smoking in those portions
of buildings owned or leased by the
government, and used by any executive
department, or independent establish
ment in which such smoking endan-
gers government property or constitutes
hindrance to the efficient conduct OF
government business
Senator Robinson, in the course OF
the debate. demanded information
as to why the amendment had
not been made applicable to the
Capitol and Senate office building,
and suggested that it would apply
to the White House. and that the
of
not be able to offer cigars to his
guests if he should give dinner.
Senator Warren of Wyoming, chair
man of the appropriations commit
tee, said that the amendment had
been proposed in the interest of pro-
tecting government property.
Il do not smoke myself" said Sen
ator Robinson. 80 the proposal
would not interfere with me. but it
would inconvenience thousands Of
government employees"
"Should BE Brondened."
Senator Shields of Tennessee sug-
gested that if the object of the amend
ment was to protect the government
buildings from fire, it should be broad
ened and smoking be prohibited in the
District of Columbia.
"If smoking in the Hotel Washing
ton caused a fire there. it would en-
danger the Treasury Department,
hotel" said Senator Shields.
Senator Smoot of Utah, who father
ed the amendment and has urged such
a proposal upon the Senate floor, said
that it's purpose was to protect not
only the government buildings, but
the government records, of great
value. He said that five fires have oc-
CURED in buildings used by the gov
ernment and records of great value
have been destroyed. Four Of these
fires, he said, were traced to smoking,
and the cause of the fifth fire probably
was smoking.
i'There are no records kept in the
Senate office building" he said, "and
no records of great value in the Capt.
toI building. Nor would the amend
ment apply to the White House"
Senator Robinson pointed out that
the records of Congress and most of
the records of the Supreme Court are
kept in the Capitol.
Time Lost by Smoking.
Senator Smoot replied that he had
received thousands of letters from
government employees approving the
Dlan to stop smoking in the govern
ment buildings. He said that a
tremendous amount of time was lost
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