Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-23
Wet Gains Are Emphasized
In House Vote ON Prohibition

Action of the House of Representa-
tives in defeating a motion to bring
from a committee a repeal resolution
on prohibition produces many differ
ing reactions. One definite result
mentioned is that members Of Congress
have been placed on record. Another
is that defeat Of the measure by vote
of 227 to 1877 is a gain for the vets.
In the resulting debate the dispute IS
largely over the question whether this
is a decisive defeat for anti-prohibiticn
or the beginning Of a movement for
repeal.
I'm the circumstances" according to
the Buffalo Evening News, 1T is hard
to see how the two great parties can
avoid definite commitments in conveh-
ton on the entirely reasonable propo-
sal to resubmit the liquor question to
the States" The Charlotte Observer.
on the other hand, holds that the re-
fusal by the House to take responsible
ity for carrying the prohibition ques-
ton on its shoulders puts an end to the
agitation for the present, and empha-
sizes the point that the future of the
amendment depends upon the complex
ion of Congress after the coming No
vemter." The ASbury Park Evening
were forced to make a landing, and
for many of them it will be difficult to
court the votes of both vets and
'drys' during the next campaign" con-
cludes that eff it did nothing else. the
ballot at least encouraged political
honesty"
even if the vets had got the needed
majority to take up the issue for de-
bate" advises the Spokane Spokesman
Review. they would still have been a
long way from first base. To "eSubmit
the amendment to the States they would
need 900 votes instead of 1877, and two
thirds of the Senate, too" The Altoona
Mirror suggests that the vote reveals
how little real progress the vets have
made since the amendment was adopt
ed" The New Castle News is convinced
that prohibition is here to stay" and
the Charleston IS. c. Evening Post
holds that ut is pretty much as every
body knew it would be. except that there
has been a call to stand up and be
counted, and there will be much suffer-
ing in consequence The GAINESVILLE
Gazette remarks that millions spent
here by the wine interests of Europe
may aid the vets this year, but will not
VIII III Jllc Aildl Stl uBS4C- AC AAoA -
burg Telegraph thinks the House would
do we'll to give its entire attention TO
other questions" as bread is still far
more desirable than beer" The
Rochester Times Union reminds Its
readers that 1.-The dry strength IS rela-
lively murh greater in the Senate"
Protesting against the result Of the
vote the Chattanooga Times asserts
hat it was "a strange performance for
a legislative body in land which claims
to be a democracy" The Times calls
1t "a denial of the right OF the people
to express themselves on one of the
most important and most absorbing
questions of the day" The Ann Arbor
Daily News feels that there is no good
reason why both drys and vets should
not get together and create the oppor-
tunity for the people to register their
own decision The Baltimore Sun
asks: If We are going to overthrow
national prohibition, and we are, why
not legaliZe now mild beer, tax 1t, and
get the Government out of the financial
woods?"
THE line of east resistance for the
vets, as many of their leaders realize,
says the Chicago Daily News, lis in
dictated by the movement of the>Chicago
Association of Commerce for a recefini-
ton of inio..iCantT in the Volste@d law,
and legalizaticn of 2.75 per cent beer as
Notwithstanding in fact" The wet
gains impress numerous newspa pers-
the Springfield (MassD News as "senti-
ment definitely turning against pro-
hihition":: fne st. Louis 11mes -