The Indianapolis times., 1932-07-02
Party Is Pledged to Brew,
but Measure Is Pet of
Republican.
IT'S MAJOR ISSUE NOW
Ballot in Senate Is Sure on
Rider Attached to
Bank Measure.
BY RUTH FINNEY
Times STAFF Writer

BY RUTH FINNEY
Times Staff Writer
WASHINGTON, July e
The answer to a complicated
problem in practical politics
will determine whether cit
jzens Of the United States
have beer to drink this sum-
mer.
With a senate vote on the ques-
tion before adjournment practically
assured, leaders of both political
parties are scratching their heads
over the question of obtaining polit-
lcal advantage from it,
The vote on the Bingham beer
bill, offered as a rider to the home
loan bank bill now before the SEN
ate, threatens to crowd aside the
two party platforms as a major is
sue Of the campaign
The Democratic platform contains
the Wettest plank, but Democrats
here are wondering whether the
voters in November will remember
that wet platform, if President Hoo
Ver this month should sign meas
lire legalizing beer.
Republicans Are Worried
Republicans equally are worried
over the effect of such action by
the President upon the fortunes of
their ticket.
The situation is this. Senator
Hiram Bingham (Rep., Comm, who
led the fight for repeal plank in
the Republican platform, has count
ed up senators on both sides of the
aisle, who previously have voted for
beer.
He has added to them dry and
doubtful Democrats who participat-
ed in adoption of the repeal plank
in the Democratic platform, and has
obtained a total, which he believes
is sufficient to assure passage of
legislation Immediately legalizing
beer 80 per cent by weight and 4
per cent by volume.
He offered his bill as a rider to
the home loan bank bill, which
President Herbert Hoover extremely
is anxious to have passed.
If the senate accepts the amend
ment, a vote this session in the
house is assured.
No Tax in Measure
The house under its rules could
not vote on another separate beer
bill, following the recent unSucceSS-
full attempt to force one from COM
mittee, but it can vote on a rider
placed by the senate on one of its
own measures.
Only fifty votes must be changed
in the house to pass beer legiSla-
tion, and this many dry Democrats
presumably may find it embarrass-
ing to continue dry in the face of
their platform.
Furthermore, Bingham has pro-
tected his proposal from technical
objections by omitting all reference
TO taxation of beer, since all revenue
raising measures must originate in
the house.
He points out, however, that the
wartime tax of 2 cents pint on
beer still remains in the federal
law, and Immediately would apply
TO beer II it should be legalized. He
believes it would yield about $375,-
100000 in government revenues.
Hoover Might Get Credit
From the political viewpoint the
situation is this;
The beer legislation is sponsored
by a prominent administration Re-
publican. He admits, however, he
can not pass it in the senate with
out Democratic votes, and must rely
largely on the Democratic organiza-
tion in the house to push it through
there.
However, if the bill should pass,
1t would fall to a Republican Presi-
ident to sign it, and Democrats and
many Republicans believe President
Hoover successfully could claim
credit for restoring beer, if he
should choose to do so.
Because all Republicans are not
agreed on this point, an attempt
may be made to save Hoover from
having to make a decision before
election.
Anxious to Avoid Vote
His friends in the senate, some of
whom also are anxious to avoid a
wet-and-dry vote just before their
own election campaigns, may plead
that the home bank bill, intended
as an economic antidote to the de-
preston, should not be imperiled by
extraneouS matters.
Such a plea would give senate
straddlers a chance to vote against
beer, and yet deny unfriendliness to
the wet cause.
No plans have been made for a
vote before adjournment on re-
submission of the eighteenth
amendment to the states.