Imperial Valley press., 1933-03-21
RATIFICATION
Of BEER BILL
MEETS DELAY
House Passes Amended Measure
But Adjournment OF Senate
Defers Signing Until Tomorrow
/. APPROVAL THEN CERTAIN
Unexpected PostpOnement Will
Set Back Legalization OF Beer
Sales To April 7th.
By LYLE C. WILSON


WASHINGTON, March 21.-The
house today completed legislative
action on the beer-wine bill but an
unexpected recess in the senate de-
layed for another "a hours the date
On which the 80 per cent bever-
ages may be sold legally.
The plan had been for the house
tc complete action on the bill and
President Roosevelt to sign it to-
day. This would have brought the
legal return of beer and wine to the
nation on April 6.
Recess of the senate, however,
delayed sending the bill to the
White House Tor the Presidents
signature, since the senate must
be in session when the bill receives
the necessary signature of Vice
President Garner.
If Mr.. Roosevelt signs the bill
tomorrow, as now expected, the
beverages will be on sale in some
% states on April T.
Speaker Rainey signed the bill a
few minutes after the house ap-
proved the conference report--the
last legislative step necessary to
restore light wines and beer after
i3 years of prohibition.
The action by the house today
was a mere formality. Represent
ative Cullen (Dem.) New York, au-
thor of the house beer bill, asked
the chamber to pass the compromise
conference report which had put
the bill into final form after dis
agreement between the house and
senate on minor provisions.
The rank and file shouted, i'm
patiently, "Vote, vote" No debated"
Blanton Talks
Cullen explained that the rules
permitted an hours debate and
that ne had agreed to allow Repre-
sentative Blanton (Dem) Texas to
make final attack on the meas
ure
"Vote, vote!" chanted the cham
ber
Blanton, short, thick-set and
plainly angry, protested.
Representative Britton, Blanton's
opponent in frequent house pro-
hibition debates, Unexpectedly came
to his aid.
"Inasmuch as the gentleman nev-
er has spoken on the subject be-
FORE" Britten said, "let him speak
now"
The house settled down and
Blanton began:
'"Three point two beer, or four
per cent by weight, is capable of
producing drunkenness in a man
weighing 140 pounds"
The chamber laughed and cheer
ed.
Blanton plodded on his prepared
speech. One bottle of 3.2 beer will
bring intoxication, he said. Then
he read a letter from an Illinois
saloon keeper who has moved to
Arizona"
In this atmosphere of confusion
and jocularity, the house complet-
ed the surrender of congress to
IN modificationists.
Cullen moved the previous ques-
ton and the completed bill was
passed without a record vote -
chorus of acclamation with a few
vigorous ''noes' lost in the great
shout of AYE.
WASHINGTON, March 81. U.Pj
The Cullen beer wine bill today
was given final house approval le-
galizing sale of 3.2 per cent brews
by April 7.
The predominantly wet chamber
passed the conference report on
the modification measure, thus
concluding congressional action on
the long-fought battle of beer
Three signatures are now needed
to translate. the bill into law.
Speaker of the House Rainey and
Vice President Garner must sign
as a matter of formality. The mea-
sure then will be sent to the White
House where President Roosevelt
will sign his name and the beer
bill will be written into the sta
tutes of the United States.