The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-12-08
" cts and
Drys Clash
in Congress
Question of Cutting $25O,000
From Enforcement Allow.
ance Brings Sharp De-
bate in House.
Merry War Predicted
Omaha Bee Leased Wire.

Washington. Dec. THE first
clash bteween the VETS and "drys'
in congress since the wet successes
in the November election took place in
the house today when the treasury
appropriation bill. containing 5000,
600 for prohibition enforcement, came
IN.
Although the "wets" appeared tc
be headed for certain defeat in this
particular fight, their efforts clearly
foreshadowed a merry war over the
liquor issue In congress during the
next two years.
The issue presented To tho house
Today was that of upholdisg the rec
ommendation Of the appropriations
committee. reducing the annual al
lowance for prohibition enforcement
from $9250.oo0 to $4,000, 900, or cut.
ting il still further. This question Is
expected to provide a test of strength
Tor the present session, which, how.
ever. will have little or no bearing
on the relative strength of the two
factions during the next congress.
Representativ5 Hill, republican.
Maryland, leader of the "wets." pre-
scented a series of amendments which
brought storm of protest from the
'drys' on the ground that they would
practically destroy prohibition en-
forcement. Mr.. Hill contended, how.
ever, that the amendments were
merely designed to bring about honest
enforcement The ''drys' received
Mr.. IIills proposals with such heat
that they insisted upon rigid observ-
ance of the five-minute rule and re-
fused to permit him to complete his
speech.
Mr.. Hill stated the purpose of his
amendments was to eliminate s150, 600
a year for the maintenance of Prohi-
bition Commissioner Haynes press
bureau. s150.000 for the purchase of
bootleg liquor by federal agents for
evidence purposes, all expenditures
for propaganda purposes and for the
transfer of the task of prohibition en-
forcement from the Treasury depart
ment to the Department of Justice.
Nebraskan Takes Hand.
Representative Andrews, republi-
can, Nebraska, charged that Mr.. Hill
was trying TO bring back the open
saloon. Mr.. Hill denied this and said
he was merely seeking to bring about
honest enforcement. He declared that
no bureau Of the government was enr
titled to s9.000,0o0 when 1t approved
the conduct of the Ku klux Khan and
produced a press statement from the
prohibition commissioner Office pro-
claiming the fact that the Ku Klux
Khan In Arkansas had declared war
on moonshine.
Charges were made by Representa-
tive Blanton, democrat, Texas, that
beer was being sold over the bars in
Baltimore, Mr.. Hills home.
Wants to Know Where.
"Will the gentleman, for my own in
formation. kindly furnish mo with a
Z list Of the places where he gets his
beer?' asked Mr.. Hill. and the house
roared with laughter.
Representative London. socialist,
New York. urged that Il scientific
study be made to determine the ad-
visibility of liberalizing the Volstead
act, adding:
Personally. l never have taken n
drink in my life--unless I wanted to-"
Representative Magee. republican.
New York. called for action by con-
gress to permit the states to decide
upon the alcoholic content of intoxi-
eating beverages so that Kansas. il it
desired. might have cold water, and
New York if it desired, have beer or
wine.