Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 137, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1917 — A DRY U. S. SEEMS CERTAIN [ARTICLE]

A DRY U. S. SEEMS CERTAIN

ONLY FIGHT EXPECTED ON PROHIBITING OF SALE OF WINE AND MALT DRINKS. Washington, June 25. —Formal transfer today from the house to the senate of the administration food control bill, with its drastic prohibition features, was accompanied by general prediction that the legislation would be passed by the senate within ten days and finally enacted in time to deal with this season’s crops. While debate on the Chamberlain draft of the bill continued on the floor of the senate, the measure as it passed the house was referred to the agriculture committee. A sub-com-mittee will begin its consideration tomorrow and a report to the senate is expected Wednesday. Material changes which the administration leaders have agreed to accept and which the subcommittee, may adopt tomorrow are expected to allay opposition to a larger' degree. These amendments propose: 1. Extension of government control over food, feed and fuels as provided in the Lever bill, to many other basic articles, including iron, steel, oil, copper, lead, zinc, aluminum, platinum, farm implements, fertilizers and binding twine. 2. Elimination of the provision for regulation of consumption, to insure that the food administrator shall not regulate individual rations. 3. Inclusion of a new section to insure that control of farmers’ production or storage of his own products cannot be attempted. _ 4. An addition to the licensing section to make clear that the charges to be fixed shall relate to storage and other middlemen’s handling. On the house amendment prohibiting, further manufacture of foodstuffs into intoxicants of any kind a majority of the committee is said to favor a substitute along similarly drastic lines. The fight will center upon an effort to permit manufacture of malt liquors and wines. Many dry senators strongly oppose extending the prohibition to beer and wines, although there is a strong sentiment in. the senate against further manufacture of whisky, brandy and other distilled spirits. Prospects are, however, that the senate will in the end vote to retain the prohibition proposals or at least the provision prohibiting use of foodstuffs in manufacturing distilled spirits.