New-York tribune., 1922-11-21
Dry Law Modification and
Bonus Linked In House;
Senator Plans Board to
Fix Alcoholic Percentage
Mrs. Huck Seated
Amid House Cheers
Speedy Adjournment in
Senate Prevents Action
ON Newberry Resignation


FROM The Tyibunc's Washinote~ Bareoa
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20.-Heart-
ened by the wet gains in the election
of November 7, advocates Of modifi-
cation of the Volstead act, upon the
convening of the Sixty-seventh Con-
gress in extra session to-day,
launched their attacks in both the
House and the Senate. While con-
sideration Of the ship subsidy act is
the primary object of the session, the
liquor issue quickly took precedence
for the moment.
Senator Selden P. Spencer, of Mis-.
souri,, in the upper branch announced
that he would introduce within few
days a bill providing for a commits
sion Of experts to decide what should
constitute intoxicating liquors under
the Volstead act.
Cioture on Subsidy Fails
The ship subsidy measure was Of
fered in the House and an effort TO
adopt stipulation for cloture failed.
This leads proponents OF the bill TO
predict that it will have majority
in the House when it comes to vote.
Senator Spencer, in announcing his
determination to get an official inter-
probation of the prohibition enforce
ment measure, said it would be in full
80 ,,1 t.s r., y -,
the course of his campaign. The pur-
pose of the commission would be TO
consider what percentage of alcoholic
content should be allowed In beverages
without their being treated as intoxi-
eating.
Bonus from Beer Tax Proposed
Two measures were introduced In
the House providing legalization Of
light wines and beer as means OF
paying a soldiers bonus. Representa-
tive John Phillip Hill, Republican, of
Maryland, and the most active wet
leader in the lower branch, was the
sponsor of a bill which would pay q
cash bonus from q tax on 2.75 per cent
beer, cider and fruit juices. Several
members of the Ways and Means Com
mittee, to which the bill was referred,
are understood to favor it.
My bill provides settlement in three
equal amounts in cash, payable July /,
1928. 1924 and 1925, all claims to be
flied by May i, 1923,' said Mr.. Hill.
cit will cost S1.500,00o,o00, instead
of from s4000,0 100000 to $6,0G0,0 100000
required by the old bonus bill with ita
methods of deferred payments, ana
would be paid at the rate Of S500,0Q0,-
coo a year, the whole amount to VS.
i. .G
cents gallon on beer and cider (in-
cluding fruit juices containing not
more than 2.75 per cent of alcohol by
volume.
"The bill modifies the Volstead act
by substituting ITS per cent for ene-
half of / per cent. The local option
feature Of my first bill is omitted be-
cause Mr.. Vclstead has officially stated
that cider containing 3 per cent Of
alcohol is not Intoxicating and not pro-
hibited under the Volstead act, and be-
cause the passage of this bill in no way
disturbs the dry laws of Kansas and
states having similar prohibition laws
to those of Kansas.
This bill will permit 2.T5 per cent
beer, cider and fruit juices in New
York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Hi
nois. Missouri and other states that
want them. The figures I presented
to the Ways and Means Committee of
the House when first introduced such
q bill show that q 20 per cent tax on
2.75 per cent beer and cider will raise
$500 600 600 year on the pre-war
basis Of beer consumed in the United
States.
Cites Anfi-Saloon Leader
"My original bill provided for per
cent beer and 12 per cent wine. but
some of the memhers of the Ways and
Means Committee questioned the legal
ity of these figures under The
Eighteenth Amendment. do not agree
with them, but to BAY the bonus at once
In cash propose 2.75 per cent beer
and cider, which is admittedIy nom
Intoxicating. Even superintendent
crabbe of the Maryland Anti-Saloon
League admits that hard cider {ayer-
airing per ent of alcohol) is per-
mitted under the Volstead act.
Il hope this bin will be passed by
the present Congress- and settle at
once the two important questions OF
the bonus and OF 2.75 per cent besr
and cider, both of which majority
OF the American people want
Representative Britten, OF Illinois.
introduced measure providing the
same bonus features that were con.
lest session OF CONGRESS-. with proyi-
sion sor raising the funds by a tax os
$40 9 barrel on domestic beer. $50 i
barrel on importcd beer, sic q gallon
on imported champagne, $6 gallon on
imported still w mes and 81 q gallon
on domestic wines.
This tax will raise more than s700.-
o0e, coo annually and will be paid more
cheerfuiiy than any tax the govern
ment has ever fevied,n he said.
1t viii pay the bonus and pay or
our entire national debt in twenty
years.
My bill vii, provide for per cent
beer and il per cent lipht wines, to be
consumed away from the place of pur
chase. The old-fashioned saloon must
not be restored
Harding's Message To-day
The proceedings of both houses to-
day were formal. To-morrcw presi-
| dent Harding will address Ioint
meeting of the two houses in the hall
of the House OF Representatives and
will devote that address almost err
tirely to the merchant marine measure.
! It la expected the present EXTRA saa .