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Show ' SMOOT AMENDMENT SENATE District of Columbia Prohibition Prohi-bition Bill May Reach a Vote Today. WASHINGTON". Dec. IS. Senator Underwood's amendment to the Disti ict of Columbia prohibition bill, providing for a referendum of the citizens of the District, Dis-trict, was debated at length today by the senate without reaching a vote. Proponents Pro-ponents of the referendum believe they have sufficient votes to carry it through by a close margin. A vote may be had tomorrow. ! Before debate began on the referen- dum, the senate rejected, by a decided majority. Senator Srnoot's substitute to j forbid absolutely the sale, use, manufacture manufac-ture or importation of liquor. The bill, as It now stands, would permit importation importa-tion of liquor for personal use. While the District measure was under discussion on the floor, the judiciary committee called a special meeting for Thursday to vote on reporting the joint jm resolution proposing a constitutional amendment forbidding throughout the United States the manufacture or saie of any kind of alcoholic, malt or spirituous spiritu-ous liquors. A house com mi t tee already has reported favorably such a resolution. Senator Underwood occupied mon of the time today defending the referendum. He urged the referendum as a fair pro-, pro-, posal. Senator John Sharp Williams of Mississippi declare' himself in favor of an absolute prohibition bill and announced an-nounced incidentally that he had "crossed the Faibion and had determined never again to be a candidate for the United States senate or any other office." The senator has just been re-elected. |