AMERICAN LIQUOR QUESTION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19373, 23 December 1932, Page 9

AMERICAN LIQUOR QUESTION

BEER BILL PASSES HOUSE

DECISION AFTER LONG DEBATE United Press Association—By Electrle Telegraph—Copyright WASHINGTON, December 21. A tentative draft of a resolution to repeal the Eighteenth Amendment emerged to-day from a United States Senate Judiciary. Drafted as a basis for discussion, and not necessarily representing the views of the Committee, it would give Congress power to prevent the return of saloons. On the first test vote on the Beer Bill, the House “wets” defeated by 132 to 108 a motion to strike out the enacting clause of Mr Collier Hill. The move would automatically have killed the measure. On a teller vote being demanded, the vote was 163 to 118. To Go to the Senate. On the Beer Bill the vote was 230 to 165. In a crashing finale, the House of Representatives went on record for the legislation of beer containing 3.2 per cent, of alcohol by weight, equivalent to 4 per cent, by volume. The final roll came upon the heels of an overwhelming refusal to send the Bill back to the Committee, and action which topped an all-day procession of votes to beat back every single amendment offered.

This action marked the first time since the adoption of the Volstead Act that either branch of Congress had held a vote directly on the issue of relaxing the fundamental prohibition enforcement law.

The Chamber was crowded during the progress of the call. The galleries were sprinkled with representatives of “wet” and “dry” organisations. The Bill now goes to the Senate.