The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-12-02
Lobbyists Busy
 on Beer Fight
Continued from Page 1)

(Continued from Page 1.)
 with the brewers. Clever Anti-Sa-
 loon League lobbyists played these
 factions against each other and
 conquered.
 Distillers are not opposing im-
 mediate beer. But they and the
 straight-out repeal people fear beer now would cause a Tagging of in- terest in repeal. They fear also the
 risk of beer anarchy and an un-
 popular reaction should there be
 precipitate and unregulated modi-
 gcation while the 18th amendment still exists. They are not opposing modification, however.
 The "big shot" of the repeal group now is Jouett Shouse, the
 man who was national executive chairman of the democratic nation al committee. He had much to do
 with undermining Spublic support of the Hoover administration dur
 ing the last three years, and is
 credited with having done much
 toward preparing the way for the
 recent democratic victory.
 He has taken a large suite in the National Press Building, moved in eb osAAh hNoaOu Dy OAO Ol th0 DCbt known Washington newspaper cor- respondents, Robert Barry. Their Job will be to drive ratification of repeal amendment through 36 state legislatures.
 The California Grape Growers League has hired a successful loby- byist, former Congressman Marion Devries. His job is to make con- gress forget that light wine has from 10 to IA per cent alcohol and
 to try to get in a clause permitting naturally fermented beverages. Brewers would rather no one men
 tion wine at all.
 Cereal Beverage producers, re- presented by George P. McCabe,
 Washington lawyer, have been writ ing to senators and congressman
 urging 2.75 CT cent beer instead of 3.2 per cent by weight as sought
 Levi Cooke's group.
 Prohibitionists have not been conspicuous around the capitol but may be more active after their
 conference called for next week. Their best known figures include F. Scott Mcbride, superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League and suc- | cessor to the late Wayne Wheeler. He is less aggressive, seldom is- sues statements, whereas Wheeler with only corporal's guards would | make a noise like an army and scare those he could not persuade. One of the most important fig | ures keeps in the background, A. J.
 Barton Wilmington, N. C., chair man of the leagues executive com
 mittee. E. B. Dunford, counsel for the Anti-Saloon League, is one of the best informed men on prohibi-
 tion law in the country. Mrs Ella A.
 Boole. head of the w. c. T. U. will
 be here for the league conference. Four per cent beer was the goal
 of the nations leading brewers as
 a committee of the United States
 Brewers association met here to- day to organize the arguments
 they will present to the house ways
 and means committee next week.
 "In all humility" according to their attorney Levi Cooke, the
 brewers intend to- press for legal
 ization of brew stronger than
 that favored by some congression-
 al leaders.
 The brewers claim that only four per cent beer can raise the revenue sought by congress. And they be- lieye it will not intoxicate the in- | dividual drinker.
 The brewers skepticism over 7.75 per cent beer is based on d fear that there would be temp tation, in the attempt to create q palatable brew, to produce 8 bev- craze 50 close to the border line that 1t might sometimes exceed that alcoholic limit.