Evening star., 1932-03-14
HOUSE VETS LOSE
VOTE,227 TO 1871
Proposal to Submit Dry Law
i: to Decision Of States
Defeated:
Continued From First Page }

ConVlcUeo, ana our JallS are CrOWQeQ
Liquor mash to the extent Of over
a56, 900 900, 900 gallons has been seized
fnc Gnas to the extent Of $4,000, 900
have been assessed, We have lost o
revenue of $10,984 900, 900.
"x Is nots however. the loss of funds
which has so blasted our country, but
Ssjs law has lowered the morals Of our
people and made hypocrites Of many OF
the best of society. We do not seek 10
violate the Constitution. but we do seek
to so amend this vital article that 1t
will not be violated. by the people OF
our land. Pass this resolution and de-
preston will fade away like mist before
the MONDAY sun. The immortality OF
the country, racketeering and bootleg
ging will be thing Of the past
Chairman Summers OF the House
Judiciary Committee which has refused
to report out the wet resolution, han
a.ed the time for drys. He first recon-
mended Representative Moore, Repuo-
ucan of Ohio. Mr. Moore told the
House that II the resolution proposed
by the vets were adopted it would mean
the return of the saloon.
Cheers interrupted him.
He said that in spite of the fact the
vets had said they would accept an
amendment prohibiting the saloon, he
had been told by prominent wet men,
bers of the House that the saloon could
be returned under this resolution.
Furthermore, this puts the question
Of prohibition in politics" Mr.. Moore
continued This remark also was greet
ed with cneers.
Asks Fairness to Pe0ple.
Mr.. Moore said the proposed resolu-
ton would result in chaos with some
states licensing the saloon, others hav-
ing Government dispenSaries and others
attempting to be dry. He said such
a condition was Ilnheard-of In the
history Of such body as the House
Of Representatives Mr.. Moore said
those appealing to the people ought
10 be fair to the people. He said the
proposal to elect delegates to State
constitutional conventions was no more
o referendum than the election OF
members of the House by the people.
In conclusion, Mr.. Moore said the
proposal of the vets was nothing new,
but only a proposal to bring back the
old system of State control which has
been found unsatisfactory
when the American people know
what 1t is they will be against 1t" said
Mr.. Moore. amid cheers by the drys.
Representative Boyian OF New York,
wet Democrat, said:
eff you want to come back, he care
full how you vote today"
His remark caused q shout of laugh
ter. Mr.. Beylan said the bootlegger,
the hijacker and the kidnaper under
present conditions are running the
country. 1t is high time. he said, to
call halt
Representative O'Connor of New York,
another wet Democrat, also supported
the motion to discharge the committee
and attacked national prohibition.
Quotes Senator Sheppard.
He quoted Senator Sheppard of Texas,
sponsor Of the eighteenth amendment,
as saying at the time the House voted
on the amendment in 1917:
THE member Of Congress who will
not vote for the submission Of con-
Etitutional amendment to the decision
of the States, where it belongs, unless
he personally believes it should become
o part of the Constitution, usurps the
function of the States, arTogates to
himself and the FEDERAL Government q
prerogative that belongs To the States
and violates the very essence OF their
sovereignty"
ANY dry" said Mr.. O'Connor, "can
NOtS Va H&FC bAAg RocP%b bAtAN OfESN hN~ANNS :
No wet can refuse to discharge the
committee, lest he or she be forever
after branded as a dry. No alibi will
60 It's the Ides of March. stand up
and be counted"
Chairman Summers argued against
the discharge Of the Judiciary Commit
tee and Representative La Guardia OF
New York, Republican, wet. spoke
briefly for the discharge.
Representative james M. Beck OF
Pennsylvania, the leader OF the Re
publican vets In the House, closed the
debate for the wet side.
Question Declared Simple.
1.-THE question to be discussed Is q
very simple one" he said. TT does not
involve the merits or dement's Of the
eighteenth amendment, but only the
right Of the American people II they
90 desire to determine their own
destiny.
Those who oppose such resubmis-
sion must do so on the theory that this
provision of the Constitution Is o ftnal-
ity for all time.
"It Is strange indeed that prohibi-
tionists should now claim infallibility
for the eighteenth amendment, for
clearly they did not regard the Con-
stitution as unchapgeahle when they
added the eighteenth amendment and
thus destroyed that basic principle Of
the Constitution, local lf-government,
Now then, can II be contended that
the American people have not the right
20 determine whether any part Of the
Constitution, or especially any amend
ment, should be either repealed or mod
ided? To assert otherwise would be 70
challenge democracy itself, 1t makes
the final passage OF Lincoin's Gettys-
burg address Rhapsody OF words, for
II the American people cannot undo .
clearly demonstrated folly and regain q
previously reserved right, then truly
government for tbs people, by the peo-
PIE and Of the people has perished from
the United States"
Recalls Term Experiment"
Mr.. Beck said there are special rea-
Sons why the eighteenth amendment
should be resubfnitted. He recalled the
term experiment" which was applied
TO it four years ago by President Hoover.
The eighteenth amendment has had IL
gears OF trial, he said, and that 1t has
been proved unenforceable.
In conclusion Mr.. Beck said:
'4Thers Is o Anal reason for such re-
submission at this time. Prohibition Is
not the only issue for the American
people. We are living in very trying
times and have many difhcult problems
The question is not a partisan issue and
81 resuDmitted to the people it will go
lar TO clear the decks for other i'm
oortant public questions. The failure 70
fesubmit will intensity the revolt
against the law and the Ill feeling
which now exists among different
classes of people. Until thus resub-
mitted the question becomes an irrepres-
sihle one like the old question OF
sisnaEr Submit fhA Amendment and