The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1931-03-01

if the dryS will act without delay, protesting a9nSG
their adoption
PROPONENTS OF BEER AND VINE RESOLUTION
CITE WRONG AUTHORITY
Among the measures introduced by the vets in the
present session of the legislature is house joint reSo-
luton No. IL. This resolution follows:
Whereas, The Wickersham law enforcement
commission appointed by President Herbert
Hoover, just recently rendered its report on the
question of national prohibition; and
Whereas Close scrutiny and peruSal OF the re-
port and the conflicting opinions of the various
members of the commission proves concluSlVely
that the prohibition problem rightfully belongs
to the people of the several states to settle Tor
themselves; therefore, be it
ReSoZUed, BY the house of representatives OF
the fifty-seventh general assembly OF the state
of Illinois, the senate concurring herein, that
the senate and house of representatives OF the
United States of America be memorialized to
modify the VoStead act to permit the manufac-
ture and sale of light wines and beer and to
summon constitutional convention to amend
the constitution to effect the repeal of the Eight
zenith Amendment; and, be it futher
ResOLUed, That copy OF this resolution be
sent to his exceency, the president of the United
States, Herbert Hoover; his eXcellency, the vice
president Of the United States, Charles Curtis
the president of the senate and the speaker OF
the house of representatives of the United States,
Hon. Nicholas LongWorth, and that copy be
mailed to the representatives from the state OF
Illinois in the congress of the United States.
It will be noted that this resolution states that the
Wickersham law enforcement commissions report
shows the need Of change III prohibition, and then
congress to permit the sale OF light
wines and beer. But the Wickersham commission eX-
preSsly out against any such proposition III the
following language Page 83):
The commission is opposed to the proposal to
modify the national prohibition act SO as to per-
NIT manufacture and sale Of light wines or beer.
While the members Of the commission were divided
On many propositions, there was absolute un2nlmlty
against any change permitting beer and wine.
Again at page 76 Of its report the commission says:
Many plans have been submitted for InOdifica-
ton Of the national prohibition act SO as TO per
init the manufacture and sale OF beer of an alco-
holic content of not more than 275 per cent by
volume, and Of light wines To take the
making transportation, and sale Of ITS per
cent beer out OF the scope OF the national prohI-
bition act would involve either leaving them
wholly to the states or to the states subject to
national laws in aid of those preferring to eX-
clude beer Legislation Of this kind would be
hard to draw and harder to execute. But with
out it. states having complete prohibition would
be greatly embarrassed by an Illicit traffic haV
ing legal basis beyond the state line. Also
there would be nothing to prevent beer saloons
in states which chose to allow them and thus
the chief gains of national prohibition would be
imperiled.
Experience before national prohibition makes
it at least doubtful whether beer would replace
spirits in general consumption to any degree.
1t must be remembered that before national
prohibition, increase in the per capita consump-
ton Of beer was accompanied by no decrease iii
the consumption of spirits.