Evening star., 1932-03-14
Increased Strength Shown in
Battle for Amendment to
Return Control of Liquor
10 States. |
GALLERIES THRONGED
FOR FIRST REAL TEST
Cheers From Floor Greet Ballots
Cast by Some of Members.
Linthicum Opens Arguments for
Proposal, Declaring Electorate
" Alone Can Settle Issue Definitely.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

The vets went down to defeat
In the House today before the
drys.
Their proposal for a vote on
an amendment to the eighteenth
amendment was defeated, 227 to
187. Notwithstanding their defeat,
the vets were jubilant over the
size of the vote cast for the pro-
posal.
When the resolution, proposing
the eighteenth amendment, De-
cember II, 1917, was passed by the
House, the vote stood 282 for the
resolution, 1913 against it and %
not voting.
Today the vote showed certainly
an increase in the wet strength
of the House, although it was
clear that some of the members
who voted for the proposal to re-
submit the eighteenth amendment
were still to be counted among the
drys and only voted as they did
because they believed the prohibi-
ton question could well be sub
mitted again to the people.
Rainey Votes for Plan.
Among those voting for submis-
sion today were Representative
Rainey of Illinois, Democratic
leader, and Representative Nc
Duffe of Alabama, Democratic
whip.
Representative Smell Of New York,
Republican leader, voted against sub
mission.
Speaker Garner did not vote.
The roll call showed ia Democrats
and l12 Republicans, with Representa-
tive Kvale of Minnesota, the lone
Farmer-Labor member, in opposition to
the motion.
Republicans favoring bringing up the
legislation Immediately numbered 81,
and the Democrats 90.
Besides Speaker Garner, Is members
of the Houses present membership of
433 did not vote.
Cheers from the floor greeted the
votes cast by some of the members.
This was true when some of the woman
members cast their vote for resubmis-
sion, among them Mrs. Rogers of Mas
sachusetts and Mrs. Kahn of California,
both Republicans.
Galleries Crowded.
The test came on a proposal to bring
up the Linthicum- Beck resolution, pro-
posing to amend the eighteenth amend
ment by permitting those States which
SO desire to control the liquor traffic.
The galleries were crowded to ca
pacity as the Speaker called the House
to order at noon. The House floor it
self was filled with members.
The prohibition issue came before
the House soon afterward on a motion
to discharge the Judiciary Committee
from further consideration of the reso-
luton. A petition signed by 145 mem
bers of the House made the motion in
order.
Representative Linthicum of Mary
land, leader of the wet Democrats in
the House, called the motion up and
was the first speaker. Under the
House rules only 10 minutes debate was
accorded to each side.
THE crucial time in the long fight
for the liberty and liberation of the
American people has arrived" declared
Mr.. Linthicum.
Not in the II years-the life Of the
eighteenth amendment-have we had
an opportunity to vote directly upon il.
Scripture tells US He who is not
with us Is against u.s. SO I tell YOU
that he who votes against the discharge
Of this committee today is not willing
to submit the question to the people.
THE discharge of the Judiciary Com
mittee means the consideration of this
subject. 1t does not mean that you
must vote for the resolution to amend
the eighteenth amendment, but 1t does
mean that you will give the Congress a
chance to discuss this vital issue.
Figures Are Presented.
my construction is that drys in this
House can vote for this discharge and
subsequently for the resolution with
out injury to themselves. because it is
mere submission to the will of the
electorate Certainly with the thou
sands upon thousands expressing
themselves as opposed to the present
state Of affairs, they should have a
right TO express their views. This
question can never be settled until 1t
Is settled right. and 1t can never be
rightly settled until 1t is submitted to
the direct vote of the people
Certainly no one can say that this
noble experiment has not had a fair
trial 1t has been weighed in the bal
ance and found wanting After IL
years attempted enforcement the whole
land finds itself in great distress. Since
January, 1920, to July, 1881, there have
(C0nfinued on page q Column II