Evening star., 1933-01-01

1ASG o6NsJ
Committee on Manufactures of the
Senate.
THE committee will have to decide"
said Senator Norris, whether 1t wishes
to authorize hearings or not. My i'm
preston is that other members of the
committee feel about this matter OF
hearings as I do. The bill may, how
ever be referred to a subcommittee, and
If it is / shall refer 1t to the subcom-
mittee headed by Senator Blaine OF
Wisconsin, which already has before 1t
the resolution for the repeal Of the
eighteenth amendment.
Would Rewrite VoIstead Act.
Senator Norris is convinced. he says,
that the Congress can write beer bill
which will not be subject to attack on
the grounds of constitutionality, with
out regard to the alcoholic content OF
the beer or its intoxicating qualities.
He said that by the simple device OF
rewriting the Volstead act, and specify
ing in the act by name the liquors, ike
whisky, gin, ETC., which are banned,
without mentioning beer, there would
be no law against the manufacture and
sale of beer, and therefore 1t could be
manufactured and sold
THE enforcement act could not be
held unconstitutional because 1t did
not cover beer" was the comment OF
the Nebraska Senator Nor would
there be any way to get the matter to
the Supreme Court If there was no law
prohibiting the manufacture and sale
of beer of 80 per cent"
Senator Norris suggestion doubtless
yrOtlld Ha of the 6ruS q mere
notification of the Constitution. It
would appear to remove entirely the
question of whether beer was intoxi-
eating in fact or not from the discus
sion. The dryS who demand strict en-
forcement of the eighteenth amend
ment insist that any beverage which
is intoxicating is in violation OF the
Constitution and should be banned.
Those who insist, like Senator Borah.
that the enactment of legislation per-
mitting the manufacture and sale OF
beer. is mere notification of the Con-
stitution, declare the proper manner
of dealing with the question is the
passage Of resolution to repeal or
modify the eighteenth amendment.
Indeed, many of these opponents Of the
beer bill, like Senator Borah, believe
now that resolution for repeal Of the
eighteenth amendment could be put
| through the two houses of Congress;
| if not the lame-duck session now meet
| ing, certainly in the first session Of
| the new Congress.
1t is the contention of these oppo-
/ nents of the beer bill that the brewers
| would not seek 3.2 per cent beer If il
| were not in fact intoxicating; that they
could not compete with bootleg beer un-
less the 3.2 per cent beer has kick
| In it."
Only Nine Weeks Remain.
| Senator Norris fears for delay in con-
nection with the beer bill are due In
part to the fact that the beer bill, after
it has been reported to the Senate by
the Judiciary Committee on its legal as
poets, will then go to the Senate Finance
Committee. If the drys are unable tc
get hearings before the Judiciary Com
mittee. undoubtedly they will seek tc
have hearings by the Finance Com
mittee Indeed, they may make such
demand even if the Judiciary Commit
tee decides to hear them.
The Christmas holidays are supposed
to end, so far as the Senate Is con-
cerned when that body meets on Tues
day. There will remain only nine weeks
before the final gavel falls on this Con-
gress. Nine weeks of time in the Sen
ate is mere nothing when it comes tc
delaying a final vote on the beer bill
particularly when 1t is remembered that
the Senate has yet to take up any of the
big annual appropriation bills for the
next fiscal year, all Of which it is hoped
to write into law by March T.
Chairman Norris has only faint hope
that there will be quorum of the Jul
dietary Committee on hand tomorrow tc
consider the beer bill Twice during the
last week he called meetings of his com.
mittee for this purpose and both time:
there was no quorum present. If hi
has no success Nth a quorum tomor
row. the Senator said, he will call an.
other special meeting of the committed
to deal with the beer bill later in thu
week.