Evening star., 1926-03-22
DRY LAW HEARINGS
BY SUBCOMMITTEE
ORDERED IN SENATE
Vets Win Fight for Public
Discussion of Two Bills
and Resolution.
EACH SIDE GIVEN SIX DAYS
TO PRESENT ARGUMENTS
Proceedings Expected to Influence
Issue in Coming Campaigns-Ed-
wards Repeal sidetracked.
BY &. GOULD LINCOLN.

III ". WI LII IINNVLN.
The vets" are to have their wish
in modified form--for public hear.
ings on prohibition modification be
fore a subcommittee Of the Senate
judiciary committee.
With only one voice raised in dis
sent. the Senate judiciary committee
today adopted the report Of its sub.
committee providing for IL days Of
public hearings. divided equally be-
tween the "wets" and the 'drys.
Senator Walsh Of Montana. Demo.
crat. declared that in his opinion pub
lie hearings on proposed modification
or repeal of the prohibition laws could
serve no useful purpose and would he
used merely as a vehicle for publicity
by the "wets."
The same subcommittee is to con.
duct the public hearings that made
the report to the full committee rec.
ommending they he granted. 1t is
headed by Senator Means Of Colo
RADIO. Republican. chairman, and com
prises Senators Harreld OF Oklahoma
and Goff of West Virginia, Republi
cans. and Senators Reed of Missouri
and Walsh of Montana. Democrats.
The subcommittee announced that
beginning April 5 II would start hear
ing. continuing two weeks, the first
week to be devoted to the vets and
the second to the drys.
Repeal Bill Siletracked.
The committee voted TO postpone
action Indefinitely on the bill intro
duced by Senator Edwards of New
Jersey, Democrat, for the outright re-
peal OF the Volstead act. This was
in accordance with the recommended
tions of the subcommittee. The hear
ings are to be held upon the joint
resolution introduced by Senator
Bruce of Maryland amending the
Constitution so that the Federal Gov
ernment shall become the dispenser
OF liquors. and upon bills introduced
by Senators Edwards and Edge of
New Jersey, which would make the
use Of light wine and beer permits
sible, and also would repeal the pres.
ent restriction limiting physicians in
the amount of liquor which they may
prescribe in case of illness.
The action of the committee Is
claimed by the "wets" as victory.
although 1t is understood that they
had hoped for many weeks of hear
ings before the Senate committee.
While the dry" leaders have now
acuuiesced In the proposal for the
hearings on modification. at. the start
they were strongly against 1t.
Bruce Plan Up First.
The first hearings. II is said. will
be on the resolution of Senator Bruce
for amendment Of the Constitution
1t Is planned by Senator Bruce to call
before the committee officials from
Canada, where the government has
adopted a plan similar to that now
proposed by Senator Bruce for the
United States.
The vets In the Senate had
threatened to discuss daily the prohi.
bition issue on the floor of the Sen
ate IL they were denied hearings on
their bills. Indeed. the discussion on
the floor already has occupied many
hours during the present session.
The hearings before the Senate COM
mittee will be the first on proposals
to modify the Volstead act since 1t
becameta law. The Volstead act has
been amended since It's enactment,
put lI1tI was lOl tIC pul POSC VI
strengthening 1t. The so-called beer"
bill was put through.
Both the prohibition and anti-prohi-
bition elements will put forward their
leading advocates at the coming hear.
ings. 1t is said. Conditions as they
have existed in this country under the
prohibition law will be dealt with at
much length by both sides. The ad.
ministration of the law also will be
a major subject of discussion before
the investigating committee.
Both Sides Confident.
Both sides claim they will gain by
the public hearings, and that the pub.
lie will be much better informed re-
garding actual conditions The "drys''
insist they will make out a clear case
for prohibition and that the hearings
will prove boomerang for the VETS
who have engineered them. On the
other hand, the "wets" believe they
will be able to show a great wave of
favor Of modification of the present
liquor laws and for the use of light
wines and beer in this country.
Coming. as they do on the even of
the congressional campaign. both sides
will do their utmost to make capital
of them. The "wets" are out to gain
in both Senate and House at the cleo
tions. and the "drys" are seeking to
maintain their present strength in
Congress and to increase it If possible
Dry Senators have been informed
within the last day or two by respon.
sible political leaders who have trav.
eled through the country that the pro.
hibition issue has become a very real
one. with people of ali classes and par.
ties discussing 1t. They have been
warned that If they desire to retain
the prohibition laws unmodif1ed and
even to strengthen them, they must
be prepared to meet the onslaught of
the "wets" in the coming campaign.