Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02
DRY SUPPORTERS
AWAIT WET FILING"
Testimony Before House
Committee Expected to
Begin Wednesday.

Rev E. C. Dinwiddie, secretary of the
National Association of Organizations
Supporting the Eighteenth Amendment.
said yesterday that witnesses to appear
before the House judiciary committee
to espouse the dry cause would be kept
secret until the vets have had their
fling"
Speculation since the appearance of
several nationally known captains of
industry before the committee to de-
nounce the present form of prohibition,
as to whether anything the drys might
do could onset the tremendous impress
sion that wet appeal has made on The
Nation has led to the belief that they
will call such opponents of their con-
tention as Henry Ford, Thomas Edison.
Bishop James Cannon John D. Rookie
feller, Jr, and Alfred p. Sloan of
General Motors.
The hearings will be resumed Tuesday.
with the vets still on the stand. The
drys will begin to present their testi-
mony wednesday and it is assumed
that they will consume as much time
as have the vets. Meanwhile, the
Senate Is expected to clear itself of the
tariff bill, and after that the long
repressed wet-dry debate in that
chamber will be released. With tho
Williamson bill for the transfer of
prohibition enforcement machinery from
the Treasury Department to the De-
partment of Justice pending there, as
wen as two drastic resolutions providm1
sweeping investigation of prohibition
conditions. nothing can stop the
argument.
Mellon Opposition.
In the Senate the long -standinR on
position OF Andrew w. Mellon, Secre-
tary OF the Treasury, is sure to find
new expression in the debate over the
Williamson bill, which, as passed bv
the House, would leave administration
OF industrial alcohol ii the Treasury
Department.
furthermore, with prohibition al
ready established as a dominant issue
In the approaching congressional cam
palgns, many members are awaiting
opportunities to express themselves on
the question. Whether these members
are sufficiently numerous and infiuen-
tial to cause the House judiciary COM
mittee to report bill affecting the
eighteenth amendment at the close of
the hearings now in progress is prob
lematical
The committee is preponderantly dry.
The most hopeful sign for the vets is
the expressed preference of Representa-
tive George Graham, chairman. for the
SABBATH bill to provide a dispensary
system, controlled by the Government.
Mr.. Graham has characterized this bill
as sound in principle. With such bone
dryS on the committee as Representa-
tive G. Ellis Moore, Republican of Ohio,
who resented an allusion to the bib
lical story of Christ changing water to
wine on the grounds that there was
mo evidence to show the wine had an
alcoholic content" the prospect of i'm
mediate victory for the vets, however,
is regarded as very slim.
Statement to BE Given.
Representative Clancy, Republican,
Michigan, said last night that he would
file with the judiciary committee, which
is holding extensive hearings on pro-
posals to repeal the eighteenth amend
ment, a statement by DR.. John H
Flevin of Detroit charging that people
there were losing their respect for the
judiciary officials of the Government.
Flevin asserted in his statement,
Clancy said, that he knew of judges
and other public officials who used
liquor and were very severe in punish
ing other dry law violators who came
before them.
Clancy said F1evin had been asked to
appear personally before the commit
tee but would be unable to do SO. In
lieu of this he prepared the statement