Evening star., 1932-06-20
Will Introduce Proposed Con.
stitutionaI Amendments
to Carry Out Pledge.
FINAL ACTION UNLIKELY
BEFORE NEXT SESSION
Vote by State Conventions May
Be Deferred Until After
January, 1885.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE,

Republican members Ct Congress are
planning to introduce at once proposed
constitutional amendments to carry out
the purposes Of the Republican prohi-
bition plank adopted by the national
convention at Chicago.
While, CT course. no action Is con-
templated at this session. since it Will
adjourn before the end of the present
week. the move is expected to show
clearly the determination Of the Re-
publlcans to suit tteir actin to the
word.
The step is being urged by those who
leel that platform plank, with the
usual excess verbiage. doss not read as
a proposed amendment would 1t is
desired to express, first. the idea OF
repeal and, second. the substitute, which
would go into effect Immediately upcn
the acceptance Of the whole resolution
oy tWo-thirdS of the Congress and three
iourths Of the States.
Agree on Conventions,
All sides are agreed that the ratifca-
ton shall be by State conventions. del
egateS to which shall be elected at cleo
( tons teparate and distinct from any
other elections Provision for such cleo
ticnS will have to be made by State
laws. and this. of course. means that
State Legislatures will have to meet
and pass upon the question Of how del
egates to the State conventions shall
be apportioned and elected.
Under ordinary circumstances, the
Legislatures Of about 40 States meet
in January, 1888, and most of them do
net meet again until January, 1885
Thus. unless special sessions are called,
it is doubtful whether the proposed sub
st.tute amendment or the repeal of the
eighteenth amendment alone could pcs
Sibly be acted upon until January, 1885
Even if special sessions should be called
it would become necessary for every
State to pass legislation arranging for
the State conventions. Thirteen State
Legislatures desiring to block the pas
sage of the new amendment could SIM
ply delay action on laws to bring about
State conventions.
Could Force State Action.
Already there is talk Of how such q
situation would be met and some Re
publican leaders said today that Con-
gress could force dry States to act by
passing appropriation bills for prohibi-
ton law enforcement containing pro-
visions declaring that no part of such
lulllS SIldil De uSeQ 10 ellOTCe Lie Jaw
in States that have not passed laws to
bring into effect machinery for the call
ing Of State conventions.
AS matter of fact, the drys have
many moves up their sleeves to delay
action. and this is one OF the reasons
why the wet Democrats are getting
ready to put into their platform a pro-
posal that Congress shall Immediately
modify the Volstead act-which is pos
sible by simple majority vote-and thus
permit higher alcoholic content in
beverages and legalize the sale of light
wines and beer. The Democrats would
then go to the country In the coming
campaign and argue that the Repub-
lican plank takes too long to get rid
of prohibition and that the Democratic
plank proposes remedy that can take
effect next December, if Congress is so
inclined, and certainly in the next Con-
gress, which is to be elected in the Au-
tumn of this year and could be called
into special session in the Spring of 1888
by the newly elected President.
tCopyright 1922