Imperial Valley press., 1932-12-05
DEFEAT MOVE
FOR REPEAL
BY SIX VOTES
House Turns Down Resolution
By I'll To l44 In Opening
Session OF Congress.
GARNER TO KEEP FIGHTING
Speaker Plans To Push Beer
Bill To Vote Before Christmas
Recess.
BY WILLIAM F. KERRY
United Press Staff Corresponds

Dy WILLIAM r. hEhb1
United Press Staff Corresponds.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-The
House today defeated the Garner
resolution for outright repeal of the
18th amendment.
The houses action was believed
to have ended definitely the pos
Sibility OF congressional approval of
prohibition repeal at the present
short session..
Speaker Garner announced the
vote, which was only six votes
short of the two-thirds majority
necessary to have carried the reso-
luton.
The vote was 272 to 144
When the speaker, his face
flushed but with steady voice,
made his announcement of the
vote, brief cheer came from the
membership. However, the great
majority of the body which had
voted for repeal sat silent in their
seats. Their confident hopes for i'm
mediate prohibition resubmission to
the states was ended.
The galleries, jammed with spec
tators who had come in anticipa-
ton of seeing the house write the
beginning of the end of national
prohibition, made no demonstra-
ton whatever when the vote was
announced.
Congressional leaders were of the
opinion that the houses failure to
act favorably on outright repeal
; might be the deciding factor in
forcing an extra session OF con-
gress after March 4.
Speaker Garner has announced
that he would oppose any further
repeal votes in the house this ses-
sion. In answer to a question by
Rep. Michener, Mich, assistant Re-
publican leader, regarding the sta
tus now of the prohibition question
Garner declined to make a definite
answer.
II will answer that question when
the time comes" Garner replied.
To Push Beer Bill
Garner announced he would con-
tinue to push a beer bill and said
he hoped it would pass the house
by Christmas. 1t will be considered
by the house without any attempt
by him to have drastic rules govern
debate such as marked considera-
tion of the repeal proposal today.
A number of Democratic men,
bers from the south voted in re-
rudiation of their party platforms S
promise of immediate and unqual-
flied repeal. These, joining with
prohibitionist Republicans, formed
a coalition which sent Speaker
Garners resolution down to de-
feat.
The house adjourned few min
utes after the repeal defeat was
announced.
1t was a crushing personal de-
feat to the new Vice President
elect, who almost single handed
forced the repeal issue on sullen
and reluctant house. He had, how
ever, never predicted definite VIC
tory, although his party leaders
had been unanimous in claiming
passage for the resolution by
narrow margin.
1t was believed the drastic ma
ture of the Garner repeal resolu-
tion had much to do with its fail
ure to secure the requisite two
thirds majority. 1t provided for
outright repeal, with no provision
or protection of so-called "dry
states" and contained no injunc-
tion against the return of the sa-
loon.
Many members in the debate en-
phasized that they were opposed
to the form of the speakers con-
stitutional amendment more than
TO the question of resubmission.
Others protested on the floor and
in their votes against the resolution
because of opposition to passing on
a constitutional amendment with
only 40 minutes of debate.
Later, Speaker Garner toll
newspapermen that if the senate
saw fit to pass an unqualified re-
peal resolution he would do all in
bis power to bring it to a vote in
the house.