Evening star., 1932-12-17
Elimination of Wine Clause
Dashes Hopes of Cali.
fornia Interests.
MINORITY STATEMENTS
FILED BY 7 MEMBERS
Three Southern Democrats Believe
Brew Would Be Intoxicating
and Unconstitutional.
With a vote before Christmas ap-

With a vote before Christmas ap-
parently assured in the House, cham
pions and opponents of Volstead act
modification were preparing today for
a bitter battle next week over the re-
vised Collier bill to legalize 80 per cent
beer.
Democratic leaders have decided to
give the House ample time to discuss
the. bill when it is brought up Tuesday.
Indications are that general debate will
occupy two days.
The House will get as much time as
it wants to consider the beer bill as lar
as I am concerned" Speaker Garner
told newspaper men today.
The drive for the brew gained con-
siderable momentum yesterday alter
noon when the House Ways and Means
Committee filed its majority report ad-
vocating ADOPTION of the measure.
Earlier in the day, however, the
hopes of California vineyardists for all
early restoration of the wine business
had been crushed by the same COM
mittee. which rejected the Lea bill, IA
to g. A Senate Judiciary subcommittee
also had reached an agreement on the
phraSing of provision In the Dill TO
repeal the eighteenth amendment, CIV
ing protection for dry States.
Estimates SSOO,00O, 900 in Tax.
Reporting the beer bill, the commit
tee estimated it would give the Treas
ury $500 600, 900 annually. increase en-
ployment and help industry and agri-
culture The revenue prediction was
based upon an estimated annual con-
sumption of 6O,000,000 barrels, taxed
SIS each.
Minority views filed by three men,
bers. headed by Representative Hawley
of oregon, ranking Republican, ques-
toned the constitutionality OF the beer
proposal.
A separate report was filed by Repre-
sentative Treadway, Republican, OF
Massachusetts.
Later the minority views Of three
acknowledgement Ragon of
Arkansas. Cooper of Tennessee and
Sanders of TeXas-were filed They said
they could not support the measure be-
cause they believed the beer would be
Intoxicating and in violation of the
Constitution.
Chairman Blaine said the Senate
subcommittee would resume next week
its study of provision to bar the re-
turn of the saloon and means of sub
mitting the proposition to the States
for ratification.
Expects Bill to Pass.
In announcing the Democrats would
seek quick House action on the beer
bill Tuesday, Representative Rainey Of
Illinois. the floor leader, said:
Il don't know whether it will pass
nr hut \ hi xr-iI1 ,1,,
quires a majority vote"
The minority report signed by the
three Democrats, Ragon, Cooper and
Sanders, said: I'VE are Of the opinion
the proposed bill is violative of the
Constitution"
They cited provisions of the eighteenth
amendment and quoted the cath they
took to support the Constitution.
Therefore, We cannot under our oaths
support this legislation, they said
I'VE further submit" the Democratic
minority said, that the proposed bill
Is not only in violation of the Constitu-
ton of the United States but of the
Democratic platform which calls for the
sale of beer and other beverages of
such alcoholic content as is permissible
under the Constitution"
1.-THE above quotation from the plat
form SHOWS tnat II was not tne lntent
of those framing the platform to de-
clare for legislation which would be In
violation of the Constitution"
The lengthy Republican minority re-
port was written by Hawley, with Rep
resentative Timberlake of Colorado and
Crowther of New York concurring.
Beer Held intoxicating.
Hawley said at the beginning of the
session that he stood on the floor OF
the House and took the oath to support
the Constitution. He quoted from that
oath and then from the eighteenth
amendment as a preamble to the asser-
ton that he was convinced that beer
and other liquors" in the bill were in
toxicating.
"a legislative declaration to the con-
trary," Hawley said, does not overcome
that fact, and if I were to support this
legislation it would require mental
reservation on my part and purpose
of evasion" of the eighteenth amend
ment.
Hawley said the brewing interests,
realizing the influence of the great
~, Dooo Co11,rnn 9N