Evening star., 1932-12-11
GRAPE MEN URGE
WINE FOR TABLES
House Committee Hears
Plea for LegaIization-Dry
Inning Tomorrow.
BY the Associated Press.

n plea Gnat the Wine decanter be
restored to the dinner table was made
by Representatives Of the grape grow
ing industry yesterday before the House
Ways and Means Committee In its hear
ings on legalization Of wine and beer.
For hours the committee heard
acknowledgements vinus liquor" ex-
tolled by French wine producer and
/, representatives from the many grape
producing States. Prohibitionists will
state their side Of the case tomorrow.
The wine proponents were headed by
Representative Lea, Democrat, of Cali
fornia, who declared the grape produc-
ers "are at the mercy of the bootleg
gers" He estimated that o tax of 20
cents gallon, as provided in the Col
der bill. would produce more than
$20, 900, 900 in Federal revenue annually
on a consumption Of more than loo,-
100000 gallons.
The opposition of brewers to the in
clusion of wine in the measure on the
ground that the question of 1t being
| non Intoxicating might inperil the beer
provision, was assailed by Marion De-
Vries of Washington, representative of
the Grape Growers League Of Cali
fornia.
Public Wish Regarded.
Light wines and beer have by stat
ute, by judicial Interpretation, by
scientific consideration, and by popular
understanding" DeVries said, lever
been associated as the subjects of ex-
emption from any prohibition legisla-
ton.
"The statement is, therefore, ventured
that the common conception of the peo-
pie IN Overwhelmingly indorsing the ma
tional Democratic platform on Novem-
Der was that its phraseology covered
light wines and beer and that nothing
short Of providing for that liberaliza-
t1on to the full extent permissible under
the eighteenth amendment will be ac-
cepted by the people as a faithful OBJ
servance Of their unmistakable man
date"
Strong opposition to bottled pre-
mixed highballs and cocktails" was
voiced by Rufus S. Lusk of this city.
national legislative officer of the Cru
saders, who declared: This Is an at
tempt on the part of the distillers to
open up the sale of hard liquor before
the repeal of the eighteenth amend
The bottled highban" was spon-
sored before the committee by Repre-
sentative Celler, Democrat, of New
York, as a big revenue producer. He
displayed several bottles Of the mix
ture turned over to him by DR.. Doran.
Would Avoid Misstep.
THE eighteenth amendment is about
to be repealed" Lusk said. LET us not
FISK the failure of repeating it by max
ing nisstep." He said, Such a mix
ture Is obviously intoxicating"
tomorrow and Tuesday the commit
tee will devote to testimony of repre-
sentatives OF dry organizations. On
Wednesday Secretary of the Treasury
Mills Will give his views on the pro-
posed legislation. Chairman Collier an
Eounced to the jammed committee room
tnat the Treasury head was having sub
oronates make study of the revenue
phase OF the legislation.
Mrs. Henry w. Peabody of the won,-
ems National Committee for Law En-
forcement, New York City, is the first
witness slated for tomorrow. DR. p
Scott Mcbride. superintendent of the
Antl-Saloon League, heads the list for
Tuesday. NoA
Collier said he hoped the COMMITTEES
coulo go into executive session Wednes-
Gay afternoon to begin drafting the
measure to be reported to the House for
action probably later in the week.
Inc Frenchman who testified. Rene
Fourault, representing Ed. Kressman 1T
Gle OF Bordeaux and w. A. Giants Co.
me, New York, said he was surprised
at the fact that no mention is made
IN the bill before your committee in re-
gard TO the importation of wines"
Wine Industry Paralyzed.
e. M, Sheehan of San Francisco
director OF the Grape Growers League
OF California, said prohibition has
paralyzed the grape Industry of the
Nation and the wine industry for some
IL years." but that with legalization of
Wine they would be revived.
In his testimony Lusk called a levy
on beer depression proof tax" and
said his organization was opposed to
anything but outright repeal of the
eighteenth amendment.
Wen oppose the Glass amendment
Just like we did the eighteenth amend
ment-it's worse" Lusk asserted
"The wet ORGANIZATIONS are un,tsd
Ior an outright, unequivocal amend
ment. If the Federal Government
couldn't enforce prohibition with ali
the law we had it obviously couldn't
enforce a law with less power"
Advocating the use of wine on the
family dinner table and in hotels and
restaurants, Representative Lea said
wine Is not saloon drink"
Taking issue with drys who have
contended repeal of the eighteenth
amendment would be defeated by
minority Of the States, the Californian
asked:
"Are 25 per cent of the people going
people? If that be true we are build
ing up such storm of resentment that
the winds of November 8 viii seem only
zephyr"
Representative Fiesinger, Democrat.
OF Ohio, said he understood the Col
Her Dill will take care of our interests
IN Ohio" and added practically all the
Democrats from Ohio favor it,
II. 0. Lame of San Francisco, an
other representative of California
grape growers, said 150,000,o00 gallons
OF VINE are being made annually from
enue"
View Given by Hill
A former member of the House, John
Philip Hill of Baltimore, insisted there
''is nothing in the Collier bill that
would interfere in any way with the
right of States to prevent entry into
their boundaries of legalized wines and
beer If they so desired"
He added that he thought, however,
the measure should be amended be-
cause 'the people should have the right
to drink imported claretS and other
foreign light wines"
Hill disagreed with Representative
WEIGH, Republican. of California, who
testified earlier that beer of 2.75 per
cent alcohol by weight would be "slop."
DR.. F. w. Buck, chairman of the Fed
eral Dispensary Tax Reduction League,
asked the committee to write a section
In this bill protecting every State" that
chooses to forbid the beverages it
would legalize,