The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-02-16
DEMOCRATS IN
LINE FOR FAST
REPEAL ACTION
Party Has Chance to Make
Good Its Pledge Today
in Senate.
BY WALTER STONE
Times staff Writer

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-The
Democratic party is in position to
make good IN short order on its
promise to return liquor control to
the states.
At B o'clock this afternoon the
senate is to vote on a resolution
submitting TO the states the ques-
ton of repeal of the eighteenth
amendment When the senate con-
vened at noon today, the terms OF
the resolution were in accord with
the prohibition plank of the
Democratic platform.
If senate Democrats main
tain anything ike a united front,
they can, with the help of wet Re
publicans, turn down all amend
ments to the resolution, and pass it
by two-thirds vote.
If the resolution is passed by the
senate, it will go at once to the
house, where the Democrats have a
majority and where about 100 wet
Republicans are eager to lend a
hand.
Little Time Remains
BY eXpedious action, it is barely
possible for congress, before the end
of this week, to lay the repeal ques-
ton before the forty-three state
legislatures now in session. None of
the forty-three legislatures which
met in January is scheduled to adj
them are not scheduled to adjourn
before April 3, or later.
The pending resolution can not be
ratified by the legislatures, but the
legislatures have the power to call
conventions for that purpose. 1t
is estimated that delegates can be
elected and state conventions as
sembled within thirty to sixty days.
And a ma jority Of the fOrty-t three
legislatures are controlled by Demo-
Gratis.
Hence, if the Democratic party,
In congress and in the state legis-
latures, performs on its platform,
the eighteenth amendment soon
will be on its way out of the Con-
stitution.
The first hurdle in the eff" setup
the senate hurdles the highest,
but Joe Robinson of Arkansas pre-
diCted this morning that the neceS-
Sary tWo-thirds vote should be mus
tered.
Sheppard Expects Dry Victory
However, Democratic Senator
Morris Sheppard of Texas, father
of the eighteenth amendment" was
equally confident that more than
one-third Of the senate would vote
this afternoon to keep his brain
child in the Constitution.
Senator Robinson led his forces
through hot fight Wednesday night,
breaking the back Of the dry fill
buster, compromising with the more
moderate drys by accepting a pro-
vision making illegal the transpor-
tation of liquor into a dry state,
giving cony entions instead Of legis-
latorS the power to ratify, and re-
moving a section lodging in congress
the concurrent power to regulate
or prohibit the sale of Intoxicating
liquors to be drunk on the premises |
where sold"
BOrah Votes With Vets
The convention system of ratifica-
ton was approved by a vote of as
to Is, and federal contro! over
saloons was stricken out by 33 to 80 !
the two senators from Arizona, !
Ashurst and Hayden, changing their
votes in response to the crack of the
party whip.
Senator Borah voted with the
vets on the saloon provision, after
they yielded to his plea for reten-
ton of the provision protecting dry
states.
The Idahoan argued that unless
the provision was written into the
Constitution, the Webb-Kenyon law
would not give dry states the power