Evening star., 1933-01-01
Nebraskan Doubts Probable
ity of Bringing Measure to
Vote in Senate.
COMMITTEE CONSIDERS
HOUSE PLAN TOMORROW
Dill Will Press Proposal to Havs
Senate Jury" Test Brew by
Drinking 1t.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

The American people will have TO
wait until the newly elected Congress
and President-elect Franklin D. Roose-
welt take control of the governmental
machinery before they have beer, in the
opinion Of Senator George w. Norris Of
Nebraska. chairman Of the Judiciary
Committee
This Is not because Senator Norris Is
opposed to the beer bill nov pending
before his committee Nor does 1t mean
Senator Norris will not do all in his
power to expedite the passage Of the
measure.
1t means Senator Norris has his
doubts as to the probability Of bringing
the beer bill finally to a vote In the
Senate, and that he has even graver
doubts that it would receive the ap-
proval of President Hoover and so be-
come q law.
Despite the delays which the resolu-
ton proposing repeal Of the eighteenth
amendment and the beer bill are run
ming into In the present lame duck"
session Of Congress, 1t Is the opinion Of
many members of Congress that both
these measures will pass the Congress
during 1898, probably early In special
session of the Seventy third Congress,
which appears to be overwhr rlmingly
committed 60 both repeal and 10 pas
sage of the beer legislation.
Din to Press Jury Action.
When the Senate Judiciary Commit
tee assemblies tomorrow to discuss the
House bill authorizing the manufacture
and sale Of beer having no nnort than
80 per cent alcoholic content by weight,
or about per cent alcoholic content by
volume, Senator Clarence G. Dill OF
washington. Democrat, win press h.
plan to have an actual test made oi
the intoxicating qualities OF the bess.
Senator Dill said yesterday that he
would ask the committee tavTote on his
proposal, which looks to an experiment.
In the drinking of 81 per cent beer.
with scientific check made By physi-
clans and chemists on the effect on the
drinker.
Chairman Norris Of the comnaittse
said, when asked his attitude toward
the Dill plan:
II have no objection personally 10
having such test made OF the pro-
posed beer, although ] would prefer not
to serve on the jury making the test"
He added that he did not believe sem
ator Dill would be able to prevail upon
the Senate Committee TO agree to con-
duct such test of the beer.
The Washington Senator. however.
takes the position that the country, as
well as the committee, is entitled TO
know whether the beer is intoxicating
in fact or not. and that II the commit
tee does not make the test before the
law Is enacted, the whole country will
make it after the law is written on the
statute books.
Chides Unwilling Drys.
Senator Dill, who viii support the
beer bill, is inclined TO chide the drys
who are unwilling to accept such q
test on the beer. However, there are
earnest opponents Of the beer bill. like
Senator Borah OF Idaho, who insist
that no test, to them, Is necessary: that
they know 80 per cent beer Is intoxi-
eating. without making any test. The
obvious reply to such position Is that
If the beer is in fact Intoxicating, then
opponents Of the bill should be all the
more ready to have test made. To
this they reply that it would make no
difference how the test came out; the
committee and the Senate mean to put
through the beer bill willy-nilly.
Chairman Norris, who fayors beer
legislation, but is against repeal OF the
eighteenth amendment, believes that
the House beer bill could be rewritten
with advantage, particularly when It
comes to making 1t stand up and not
be in danger Of death at the hands OF
the Supreme Court. However. he Is
willing to have the bill reported imme-
diately to the Senate by his committee
and let it take its chances He con-
tinues to be. firm in his opposition to
the hearings which the drys have de-
manded. holding ell testimony regard
ing the beer bill that can be given has
already been had, before the House
Ways and Means Committee, and be-
fore other committees, including the
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