Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-11-12
VETS FACE BIG JOB
IN SHORT SESSION
Grave Problems Confront
Anti-ProhibitionistS' Plan
to Speed Modification.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
While enthusiasts in and out Of Con-
gress are interpreting the immense
Democratic vote as forecasting beer by
Christmas, some sponsors Of Volstead
act modification join their opponents in
conceding that grave difficulties lie in
the way.
The primary one, recognized by drys,
vets and everybody in between, is that
the session Of Congress which opens
next month is so short as to make it
possible for even handful Of members
to block anything they oppose.
This has not kept beer possibilities
from forming prime topic of political
conversations. In rapid succession have
come expressions from such as Senators
Borah, Republican, Of Idaho; Reed, Re-
publican, of Pennsylvania; Byrnes, DEM
ocrat, of South Carolina; Robinson,
Democrat, of Arkansas, and Bingham,
Republican, of Connecticut, and Rep
resentative McDuffie of Alabama, Demo-
cratic whip Of the House.
Short Term Doubtful.
The thoroughness of the Democratic
sweep has meant: A record Democratic
margin, of over 200 in the next House,
a Senate majority that probably will
last until 1899, still doubtful short
term Senate, with the decision resting
on the close Colorado contest between
Karl c. Schuyler, Republican, and
Walter Walker, Democrat, and the vote
of Senator Shipstead, Minnesota Farm
er-Laborite.
With the exception of Borah, the con-
greSsional leaders named have voiced
the opinion that beer legislation should
be considered and enacted at the De-
cember session. Borah's comment that
he does not expect beer to prove an ex-
ception to the general rule that con-
troversial questions are not disposed OF
in short sessions was concurred in not
only by dry organization leaders, but
even by q few anti-prohibition chiefs.
Bingham said "the only way drys can
defeat beer legislation at the short ses-
sion is by filibuster" and added that he
was informed Borah would not use
these tactics. But even without them,
it was recognized on both sides that
the time left to the dying Congress will
be crowded with annual appropriation
Oils, 10 anu ObA1C4 CooCAA-
tial legislation.
Tax Bill Is Urged.
Reed and others are urging the neces-
sity of tax bill this Winter. Here the
modihcationists pitch in with their
talking point Of a beer tax to produce
millions. While drys dispute all high
estimates many modificationists claim
as much as S400, 900 can be had
from this source.
Furthermore, while White House in
fiuence usually Is an important factor
in framing tax bills, President Hoover's
attitude toward beer legalization has
not been disclosed.
Leaders of dry organizations have
taken the position that while the ants
made gains and big ones, these were in
part at least incidental to the general
desire of the voter to Gust the Inns"
Consequently they intend to bring every
pressure on lame duck" drys to keen
their record clear for a comeback at
tempt in 1894. They are likewise analyz-
ing the various State referenda on
liquor-all of which went against them
in the hope of discovering that some
districts within them remained dry, or
were lost by small margins only.
DryS ran convention.
The Anti-Saloon League will hold a
four-day convention here-an extra one
midway Of the scheduled biennial meet
ings-a week after Congress reconvenes.
1t will be followed b" gathering OF the
leaders who compose the conference OF
organizations supporting the eighteenth
amendment. Here strategy for the i'm
mediate future will be discussed.
The anti-prohibition organizations
have no comparable central clearing
house. One of them, at least, the AS
ISOLATION Against the Prohibition
Amendment, has taken no stand on the
modification question.
While the drys are out to stop every
thing, there are many shades OF OPP
posing opinion and no project has
shaped itself yet for all organizations
to get together on single plan.