The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-03-15
VETS TO PUSH
HOUSE BATTLE
ON BEER ISSUE
Sought This Session in
Looking Forward
By United Press

By United Press
WASHINGTON, March 15.-Jubi-
liant vets claimed today they would
have majority in the next house.
Their astounding show of
strength on the Beck-Linthicum
vote Monday reimbued them with
zeal for campaign to continue
through this session of congress and
on into the elections in November.
1t encouraged them to change
their immediate program. They had
planned to force the 2.75 per cent
beer bill as an amendment to the
pending tax bill. Now they have a
new idea.
Wet leader James M. Beck (Rep.,
Pa informed the United Press they
probably would move to get sepa-
rate consideration OF a beer bill.
They want to put the house on
record on that just as they did on
the Beck-Linthicum home rule plan.
They Face the Music
They believe they could get more
votes for beer as a separate propo-
Sition, because there is strong pres
sure on the house now to take the
tax bill as it came from the ways
and means committee without
change. A movement may be start
ed shortly to get 145 signatures to
a petition for a beer vote.
Drys, however, insist that their
227 to 1877 victory Monday against
the home rule plan showed they
were still safely in control.
There has been much talk about
how politicians have the habit of
Sidestepping the prohibition issue,
but when the house was faced Mon
day with the most clearly defined
question involving prohibition it has
faced in thirteen years, the con-
gresSmen came out of hiding, and
faced the music.
OF the house membership of 434
total of Ala was present and vot-
lng-a record attendance.
And of those absent most of them
sent notice in some form or an
other of how they would have voted
had they been there.
Many observers thought the heavy
vote was a recognition of the IN
popularity of "pussy-footing"
Record Vote Is Cast
The vote was the heaviest ever
cast on a prohibition issue.
In 1917 when the house voted 232
to 1913 to submit the eighteenth
amendment to the states, twenty
three members did not vote.
In 1919 when the house voted 287
to 100 to pass the Volstead act
forty did not vote.
The same year when the Vol
stead act was passed over PreSi-
dent Wilson'S veto, 1913 did not vote
On the most recent prohibition di-
vision, the passage of the Jones
law, which was not an entirely
clear-cut issue, fifty-four did not
vote.
One of the surprises of Mondays
ballot was the action of Repre-
sentative McDuffie Dem, Ala.) in
voting for consideration of the
Beck-Linthicum resolution.
McDuffie is the Democratic whip
and was considered a stalwart dry
who could be depended upon never
to vote with the vets.
Gamers Action Is Surprise
None of the dopesters-not even
Speaker Garrer-f1gured him to
vote that way.
McDuff1e said he voted for con-
sideration of the resolution not be-
cause of any change of views OH
prohibition, but because he believed
the people had a right to pass on
prohibition, or any other question,
if they so desired.
Speaker Garner himself had made
up forecast of how the vote would
stand. He figured 178 would vote
yes" He made an error of nine
Gamers failure to vote was some
thing of a surprise. He presided
throughout the proceedings with
impartiality and a firm hand, and
said nothing most 0f the time