Evening star., 1932-11-14
QUICK BEER RETURN
IS HELD UNLIKELY
Legal Sale by March a Is
PossibIe-By May
Certain.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

"Beer by Christmas" slogan OF news
paper chains which supported the DEM
ocrats in the campaign, is an unreason-
ably early date to demand fulfillment
of the party's campaign pledge. Beer
by March is, however, quite practicable.
If 1t does not come in by March a 1t Is
certain to come by about May.
The fundamental facts begin with the
presence in the Democratic platform Of
q promise of Immediate modification
of the Volstead act to legalize the man
ufacture and sale of beer. ." Upon
that platform the Democrats last Tues
day won Overwhelmingly.
Assume Power March 4.
It is to be remembered, however, that
the Democratic Senate, House and
President who were elected on Tuesday
do not actually enter into power until
March 4. There is. therefore, some
Justification for the Democrats, If they
choose, to postpone fulfllment OF this
and other promises until after they
actually assume power.
In the meantime there will be the
regular session of the old Congress, be-
ginning December and lasting until
March 4. The question is whether this
Congress will enact beer. Beer has al
ready been proposed in the present Con-
gress last Winter and failed of a ma
jority in each Of the two Houses. This
fact might seem to be justification for
refusal to bring up the matter again in
this old Congress. On the other hand
It must be remembered that in the
meantime the election has occurred and
that a majority of the voters have in
dicated that they want beer.
Whether beer Is brought forward in
the old Congress before March de-
pends largely on the Democrats, who
are in control of the House. The House
must originate all measures having TO
do with taxation and revenue. Beer,
II brought forward at all, will be
brought forward largely as revenue
measure. Senator Hiram Bingham.
well posted, says that beer will yield
$375 100000 in yearly revenue.
New Tax Bill Certain.
It is certain that new tax bill must
be written in the coming session of the
old Congress. 1t is certain the tax bill
must be written in the first instance by
the Democrats because they control
the House, where tax legislation must
originate. That the Democrats should
write a tax bill at time when new
taxes are so greatly needed and should
omit beer seems most unlikely 1t is
especially unlikely, since beer is sure to
come not later than May, anyhow.
If the Democrats write beer into
the new tax bill, it is most unlikely that
the tax bin would be strongly opposed
by the Republicans in Congress or
vetoed by the President The decidedly
prevailing policy of the Republicans Is
not to impede, but rather to facilitate
fulfllment of promises made by the
Democrats. To interfere unreaSonaDly
with the fulfillment of these promises
would add further irritation to a ma
iority of voters, who have sufficiently
indicated that they are already trritated
enough.
Borah's Opposition.
The outright opposition to beer an
nounced by Senator Borah does not re-
fleet Republicans generally The an
nouncement of a few drys in both par
ties that they will filibuster against beer
does not represent the point OF view OF
the Republicans. II the Democrats are
In earnest, q filibuster against taxa
ton measure containing beer WOULD not
succeed.
Inquiry among some drys who oppose
action at the coming session reveas
as much as there is OF tenanle case
for postponement. They say that the
sale of beer is Intimately related to the
whole subject of liquor. that beer was
the principal drink sold In the old
fashioned saloons; and that leganza-
ton Of beer would lead to the imme-
date revival of the saloon. Drys assert
also that beer should not be brought
back until there Is agreement upon how
dry States are to be protected against
shipments from wet States. and agree
ment upon the whole matter Of how 1t
Is proposed to deal with the liquor
problem In its entirety. For these and
other reasons some drys claim, with
complete earnestness, that the leganzing
of beer should wait for and be taken
I'D in connection with the whole sub
3ect of repeal of the eighteenth amend
ment.
The process of bringing about beer
Is simple. 1t is thing distinct from
repeating the eighteenth amendment.
Beer requires only a simple majority
vote of both Houses of Congress and
the signature OF the President. The
process would consist merely Of raising
the figures "one-half of one per cent
in the present Volstead act, to 8 per
cent or whatever other figure Is agreed
upon as a reasonable alcoholic content
that will in good faith permit the
manufacture and sale of real beer.
If beer is not brought back at the
coming session of the old Congress, 1t
Is assumed with certainty that imme-
diately after March Mr.. Roosevelt
will call special session OF the new
Congress.