The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-11-14
HOOVER FACES
SHOWDOWN AT
ONCE ON Beer
Steps to Balance Budget
Must Wait Until His
Attitude Is Known.
BY RAY TUCKER
Times star Writer

WASHINGTON. Nov. 14.-An
immediate showdown with Presi-
dent Herbert Hoover on his atti-
tude toward prospective beer legis-
lation is regarded as inevitable
by congressional leaders Of both
parties.
Outright vets and former drys
are so strong in their demand for
revision Of the volstead act that
action at the December session is
believed to be certn'..
Speaker Vice President Elect
John N. Garner, Majority Leader
Joseph T. Robinson (Dem., Ark),
and Senator Pat Harrison Dem,
Miss, ranking member Of the
senate finance committee, lead the
move on the Democratic side.
Senators David A. Reed Rep.,
Pa and Hiram Bingham CRep.,
Comm are two administration men
NSiA4duOlIlB QUICK dCJlOu.
Advocates point out that modi-
flcation has become a financial
rather than prohibition question,
and that no steps to balance the
budget can be made until the Pres
ident says whether he will sigma
beer bill if it is passed by congress.
Need Additional Revenue
Until he makes clear his stand,
congress will not know whether to
try to obtain new revenue through
Volstead act revision, through
sales tax or through change of the
whole taxation system as it applies
to nuisance, income and corpora
ton levies.
Drys already have rushed in with
proposals that additional revenue
be raised by means other than re-
vision of the Volstead act.
Republicans, who fought for the
sales tax at the last session, includ-
ing vets like Senator Reed of Penn
sylvania, and Bingham of Connect
cut, contend that beer alone will
not provide sufficient money, and
insist on a sales tax.
Even Democrats favorable to
modification think that this field
of possible revenue carefully should
be surveyed, in order to determine
just how much it will bring.
Big Deficit in Sight
Estimates of the return from le-
galization of 2.75 beer vary from
$500, 900 900 to $7OO,0OO,O0O. A budget
deficit of more than $l,0OOOO0,O0O
is in sight.
President Elect Franklin D.
Roosevelt's attitude also may figure
in this situation.
He plans to confer with congress
sional leaders during his rest at
Warm Springs the last of this
month, and it is expected he will
urge quick action on beer so as to
permit him to take up other prob
lens on his assumption of office.
MIR. Hoover has promised to Co
operate" with his successor. Mr..
Roosevelt's friends are wondering
whether the spirit of cooperation
extends to this question.
A frank statement from MIR. Hoo
yer, it is pointed out, will do much
to settle the question.
1t is understood an attempt to
get Mr.. HooverS views first will be
made by Republican congressional
leaders soon after his return here
Tuesday.
Silent During Campaign
Should this fail, it is believed
that nocrats will discuss the
mat Nth the President.
hlunough the Republican plat
form made no mention of beer, and
MIR. Hoover refused to discuss it
during the campaign, his attitude
on the subject was expressed many
years ago.
He wrote at that time that cit is
difficult to get drunk on 2.75 beer"
which happens to be the content of
alcohol proposed in measures now
before congress.
The President made this state
ment when, as food administrator,
he was asked by Senator Morris
Sheppard (Dem., Tex to close
down the breweries so as to save
grain. Hoover also pointed out
that, with beer banned and the sa-
looms still operating, it would drive
the people to hard liquor.
Mandate for Modification
On the political side, both Repub-
leans and Democrats will point out
to Mr.. Hoover that the presidential
election was a mandate for modif1-
ca in favor of beer.
vas promised in the Demo-
crs platform, and Mr.. Roosevelt
sal again and again that the Vol
ste.-d act would be revised lust as
soon as the Lord will let us"
Republicans also think their party
ought to try to get some of the
credit that may come from this
first move to do away with national
prohibition.