Evening star., 1933-03-16
BEER VOTE SOUGHT !
in SENATE today
SO Per Cent Bill, Including
Wine Clauses, Up for
=. Speedy Action.
Continued From First Page.)

SpeeOy ACliOT.
(Continued From First Page,)
nothing in the bill to prevent home
brewing of 80 beer.
Beer Vote Sought.
He said that the brewers tax would
apply only where beer was manufac-
tured for sale.
The attack on the bill was opened
by Senator Sheppard, Democrat, of
Texas author of the eighteenth amend
ment. who gave figures to show that
lar~e sums of money would be diverted
from expenditure on other commodities
by which families have been improv
ing their homes and surroundings under
prohibition. He declared that for every
employe put to work in the brewing
industry one would be discharged in
these OTHER industries.
Discussing the economic cost of the
return of beer, Senator Sheppard said
it was shown during recent hearings
that it would require two years and
an expenditure of $500, 100000 to re-
store the brewing industry to half what
1t was before prohibition.
Cites Revenue Estimates
After pointing out that the tax OF
IS per barrel would mean that $780,
100000 year for revenue for the first
two years and larger amount later
on, Senator Sheppard quoted brewery
representatives as estimating that the
beer would sell retail at a rate equal
to $50 a barrel, or an outlay of the
people of 100000 a year for the
first two years. Senator Sheppard said
the statement that $500 900 1000 would
be needed to restore the brewing in
dustry at the outset destroys the argu-
ment that this bill merely transfers to
legal status an industry already
existing.
Beer and light wine gradually, but
surely establish the liquor habit" Sem
ator Sheppard continued The liquor
curse which started the movement for
, national prohibition was primarily a
beer curse
Senator Sheppard said surveys made
during the war period showed that the
beer being sold before prohibition aver
aged less than 312 per cent by weight,
"or only three -tenths of l per cert
more than this bill will authorize, al
though the eighteenth amendment still
Is in effect"
Referring to the method of selling
the beer, Senator Sheppard said: You
may call the place where it is sold a
1-,,s, store, soft drink stand or a
,saing station. but it will inevitably be-
come the counterpart of the old-time
saloon"
Sheppard Cites Ruling.
Senator Sheppard said the Supreme
Court of the United States had suS-
tanned the definition of Congress for
Notwithstanding beverages, fixing the
alcoholic content at not more than one
half of l per cent. He said that all
attempts by lawyers representing wet
interests to shake the right of Con-
gress to define intoxicating beverages
had been in vain. Misunderstanding,
he said, means non-poisonous.
Alcohol" said Senator Sheppard,
'is poison. 1t sets up a toxic con-
dition and mey produce evil effects on
human beings without bringing about
a state of drunkenness"
He insisted that drinkers Of alcohol.
without becoming actually drunk, could
lose all the mental and moral stability
on which civilization depends.
At this point Senator Long of Lou
isiana interrupted, asking If he could
read a different definition of intoxlca-
tion.
Il know" said Senator Sheppard. "a
definition which the Senator wishes to
read and I would prefer to have 1t
come at the end of my remarks. But
! do not object to his reading it."
This Is what Senator Long read:
"Not drunk is he who from the floor
Can rise and drink once more
But drunk is he who PROSTATE lies
Upon the floor and cannot rise"
That" said Senator Long 'is from
the North Carolina Law Review"
Even law reviews can be humorous
at times" was the comment OF Senator
Sheppard.
Senator Sheppard insisted that the
80 per cent beer would intoxicate chill
dren and demanded:
"Is the Constitution oblivious to the
children of the country?'
Senator Sheppard, in replying to the
argument that the proposed beer would
be notwithstanding. declared that mo
ordinary Notwithstanding soft drink
could stand tax of SIS a barrel"
The Texas Senator then proceeded
to outline the benefit the people have
derived from prohibition, and declared
that during prohibition there has been
q decrease of 64 per cent in the amount
Of liquor consumed.
Borah Joins Attack.
Senator Walsh of Massachusetts had
read to the Senate telegram which
insisted that the inclusion of wine in
the beer bill was commendable and
that compounded wine OF 30 alcoholic
content is palatable.
Senator Borah of Idaho. long an op-
ponent of the proposed beer legislation,
took up the attack on the bill. He said
that so many important matters had
been before Congress he had not been
able to prepare adequately to discuss
the beer bill in logical way.
Il have had time, however" said
Senator Borah, ito read the bill and
to learn that it authorizes the manu-
facture and sale of 80 beer and that no
provision is made to regulate the dis
tribution of beer and that it can be
drunk on the premises where it is sold.
I'VE have been told in connection
with this legislation that we are acting
under mandate from the people. A
mandate permits member of Congress
to do something he would not do him.
self. The question here is what is the
mandate. The repeal of the eighteenth
amendment was not the only mandate.
There was mandate quite as clear to
prevent the return of the saloon and to
protect the dry States.
Points to Party Pledge.
mo one can tell us what the man
date was more clearly than the dis
tinguished gentleman now in the White
House. I only wish to recall what he