Evening star., 1932-11-13
DRYS IN SENATE
PLAN F|L|BUSTER
Lines Are Shaping for Bitter
Fight Over Beer in Next
Congress.
Continued From First Page.)


Continued From First Page)
tention that President Hoover would
sign bill legalizing beer. This oc-
CURED in a statement by the Federal
Dispensary Tax Reduction League, an
organization seeking prohibition change.
1t said:
I'VE are informed by three officials
very close to President Hoover that he
will sign the beer bill if it comes before
him"
The statement has had no confirma-
ton as yet in any other quarter.
Deny Victory for Vets.
Dry leaders are trying to impress Con-
greSs with the idea that the election of
Gov Roosevelt was not a wet victory.
The Methodist Board Of Temperance,
Prohibition and Public Morals yesterday
discussed the election in its clipsheet,
declaring the acceptance speech of Mr.
Hoover eliminated prohibition from the
campaign as clear-cut issue. 1t is
sued what amounted to warning to
members of Congress and the new ad-
ministration not to disregard the
strength of the prohibition vote.
Another prohibition development yes
terday was the statement by Senator
Walsh, Democrat, Of. Montana to news
paper men that he would support the
party's platform on repeal Of the eight
eenth amendment and modification of
the Volstead act.
Questioned as to whether he thought
there was sufficient wet strength in the
present Congress to modify Tie Vol
stead act at the short session, he an
swered:
THAT is proble.natical."
Walsh at the same time expressed
the opinion that iegaiizatiOn of beer
within constitutional limits could be
effected at the short session and said
he would be for 1t.
He added, hoWeve that he had not
fixed in his nina the limit Of alcoholic
percentage that could be allowed in
beer under the Constitution, although
he remarked, - believe it can be in
creased"
Asked If he thought dry Democrats
from the South would vote to carry out
the partys platform on prohibition re-
peal, the Montanan said that Demo-
Gratis who ran on the platform are
elected"
Sees Democrats Duty.
On this point Representative Oliver,
Democrat, of Alabama touched yester-
day with an assertion to newspaper men
that he felt it the duty of every
Democrat to carry out the party's plat
form and pledges"
Oliver is chairman of the subcom-
mittee Of the House Appropriations
Committee which is in charge of the
State, Justice, Commerce and Labor
bill, and will have much to say on
.k,ElN a Ions
shall be cut, as urged by Beck. Oliver
yesterday declined to express his views
on such reduction. He did say, how
ever, he would cooperate fully with the
President and Vice President-elect in
carrying out the pledges of the party
platform.
divers recommendations on ap-
preparations for the prohibition unit
under the Justice Department will be
watched closely. 1t is possible, how
ever, this and other appropriation bills
will not be rushed and that some of
them will go over until the extra
session.
Representative Beck in his statement
said:
THE result of the presidential cleo
ton is clear mandate to Congress to
end, as soon as possible, the tragic folly
Of Federal prohibition.
This question should be eliminated
from American politics, and it can only
be by restoring to the States local self
government. The mistaken experiment
OF prohibition has confused the ordi-
nary processes of government and has
made any solution of our economic
problems very difficult. If the next
Congress is to be, as now seems certain,
largely composed of inexperienced men,
at time when this Nation is in great
est need of experienced men, it is due
to this confusing element in our politi-
cal life.
Should Submit Amendment.
For this reason, Congress should
promptly submit repeating amend
ment at the coming session, and will
probably do so. If, however, it appears
when Congress reconvenes, that the
necessary two-thirds vote cannot be
secured, then it would be better to de-
fer the matter until the new Congress
convenes on March 4, for the cause of
repeal will not be served by a pro-
longed debate, If it seems probable that
more than third. in the lame duck
session, are disposed to ignore the man
date OF the people and vote against re-
submission
~Ao POoSHOAACAAlC41L O1 IllC ISSUE 1OI
few months need not prevent
modification of the Volstead law, which
requires only a majority vote in both
Houses. This can be done by raising
the alcoholic content to more reason
able amount. If Congress had the
power to prescribe one-half of l per
cent as the deadline, it has equally the
power to prescribe larger precentage.
and believe that the Supreme Court
viii sustain a declaration of Congress
as to such percentage, unless there was
a clear abuse of the political discretion
of Congress. This would enable the
and sale of good quality
OF beer, which would be non-in Intoxicating
in fact, and, as its use is more helpful
to the cause of true temperance than
hard liquors, it may be well that the
return to individual liberty should be
gradual
''The vets at this session should also
consider whether, in view of the
demonstrated failure of prohibition and
the ever-growing deficit in the Treasury,
they should not refuse to appropriate
any further funds to continue the
tragic farce of so-called enforcement. |
ThL is wholly in the discretion of Con-
gress. The judiciary cannot compel
Congress to appropriate"
Discusses Revenue.
The Crusaders, militant wet organiza-
ton, in statement issued by Rufus S. |
Lusk, national legislative officer, dis
cussed the revenue possibilities of legal
ization Of beer and a tax on beer.
zone cent glass tax on beer will /
start an immediate golden flow of |
revenue into the United States Treasury /
at the annual rate of over 100000 a
day or well over $200,000,000 a year."
he said. "Tax 1t two cents glass,
and the revenue will be almost half
2 billion annually"
His estimate was based on the fact
that in Is States and the District of
Columbia, beer may be sold the instant
the Volstead act is modified. Those
States are Maryland, Massachusetts,,
AHnr,tana Nam Xnrk NeNada Wiscnr1-