Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-20
Change Offered
Gives Option
to Congress.
OWN REPORTS
FILED BY TWO
Four Members Want
Further Trial for
Existing Acts.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


The report of the Wickersham
Commission on the enforcement
of the prohibition laws in the
United States was submitted to
the Congress today by President
Hoover.
The report shows a majority of
the commission favoring some
change in the existing system of
national prohibition. The COM
missioners favoring a change were
unable, however, to agree on a
plan of revision.
Although the report places the
commission on record as opposed
to repeal of the eighteenth amend
ment, opposed to a return of the
saloon, opposed to having the
Government go into the liquor
business, State or Federal, and OPP
posed to modification of the pro-
hibition act so as to permit light
wines and beer, it also presents
the draft of a revision of the
eighteenth amendment. The draft
follows:s
Section /. The Congress shall
have power to regulate or to pro-
hibit the manufacture, traffic in
or transportation of Intoxicating
liquors within, the importation
thereof into and the expectation
thereof from the United States
and all territory subject to the
jurisdiction thereof for beverage
purposes"
The report says in this connec-
ton: "All the commission agree
that if the amendment is revised
it should be made to read sub
Stantially as the above"
Senator Blaine, Republican, Wiscon-
sin. introduced in the Senate i'm
mediately after receipt of the report
resolution for a substitute prohibition
amendment in line with the one con-
uitionally suggested in the report.
TIE amendment was sent along to
the judiciary Committee together with
the Wickersham report
Would Allow Option.
Continuing. the report said If the
eighteenth amendment were revised
as here suggested, it would be OPP
tional with Congress either to permit
the manufacture and traffic in intoxi
eating liquors for beverage purposes or
to prohibit. AS the amendment now
stands no such leeway is given. Manu-
1acture Of and traffic in Intoxicating
beverages are prohibited.
Each of the IL members of the COM
mission has attached to the general re-
port statement Of his or her per-
Sonal views.
Five OF the members. of the commits
sion are for immediate revision of the
amendment. They are: Henry w. An
derson of Richmond, Va; Ada L. Com
stock of Cambridge. Mass; Frank J.
LoeSch of Chicago. Ill; Judge Kenneth
Macintosh of Seattle. Wash, and Dean
Roscoe Pound Of the Harvard Law
School.
Two members Of the commission are
for repeal of the eighteenth amendment
Newton D. Baker of Cleveland, Ohio,
and Monte NJ. Lemann of New Orleans
La. Mr.. Lemann did not sign the gen.
eral report of the commission, but sub
nitted a separate report of his own.
-Four members of the commission are
for further trial of national prohibition
as 1t is now practlced. They are:
George W. Wickersham Of New York,
chairman: Judge William 1. Grub of
Birmingham, Ala; Judge William S.
Kenyon of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Judge
Paul j. Mccormick Of Los Angeles,
Calf
Several Favor Referendum.
Two of these commissioners-Judge
Kenyon and Judge McCormick-say
that If enforcement of the dry laws
does not improve materially. they will
favor revision of the eighteenth amend
ment.
In the separate statements made by
the commissioners, recommendations
are made by several that public senti-
ment on national prohibition be ascer-
tanned through the submission OF
constitutional amendment either for re-
peal or modification of the eighteenth
amendment. It is proposed that this
referendum be undertaken in an "otf
political year." when there Is no cleo
ton of President or members of Con-
gress, and that the question be sub
mitted to State constitutional conven-
lions instead of State Legislatures,
Continued on Page 5. Column 10