Show QUORUM LACK BLOCKS MEET ON BEER BILL Action on House Measure by Senate Judiciary Body Is Delayed SUBCOMMITTEE TO WORK Constitutional Questions to toBe toBe I IBe Be Studied by Group in Br Dr Press WASHINGTON Dec Dee 26 Absence 26 Absence of a quorum blocked action by the senate judiciary committee on the house 32 per cent beer bill today but Chairman Norris authorized a subcommittee to begin work immediately immediately immedi immedi- Q onan an investigation llon of the constitutional con con- problems involved Norris directed the subcommittee no now wi draft ing a prohibition repeal resol resolution tion headed by Senator Blaine Elaine R. R Wis to begin immediately a study of the legal questions involved in drafting drafting- a n beer bill Blaine Blame asked to have the bill re rc- t i t tN ri ris declined suggesting it would expedite ex ex- action to have the measure handled by the full lull committee At Elaine's Blaines suggestion however Norris directed the subcommittee to study the constitutional question of legalizing beer without violating the eighteenth amendment SUGGESTS REDRAFT Blame Blaine suggested that the house bill should be redrafted to repeal those sections defining denning an intoxicating beverage beverage bev bey at one half of 1 per cent alcohol alcohol alco alco- hol hoi instead of amending the enforcement enforcement enforce enforce- ment law as proposed in the house bill Under this procedure he said if the supreme court should hold 32 per cent beer unconstitutional the thc theold theold old percentage of one half of 1 per percent percent percent cent would not again become lawI lawI lawI law I will study whether in the absence absence absence ab ab- ab- ab sence of an arbitrary facetious or capricious capricious ca ca- ca- ca pricious finding by congress as to the degree of ot alcohol that is intoxicating cating eating if the supreme court will look I beyond the finding of congress Blaine Blame saidI said I If the supreme court holds congress congress con con- gress has taken into consideration a suf sufficiency of evidence and having found what is not intoxicating the court can say we will not disturb the finding of congress Blaine Blame said that his proposal to repeal the sections of the law fixing a limitation one half of Continued on P Pile t Two I t I I QUORUM LACK BLOCKS MEET ON BIER BEER BILL Continued From Page Pare One 1 per cent and enacting new sections section as a substitute might avoid a chaotic cha chao otic otie condition if the supreme cour court should find 32 per c cent nt beer Before Defore the committee meeting Edwin Edwin Ed Ed- win C. C Dinwiddie dry leader asked aske Chairman Norris for hearings on th the beer measure but the Nebraskan was wa noncommittal t tal Norris told DinwIddie there ha had been suggestions that opponents o othe of the beer bill bUl wanted hearings to delay the measure rather than to present any new evidence The chairman said he would ca call caIl another meeting of the full c commit commit- committee tee tec for Wednesday in an effort eUort to obtaIn obtain ob ob- ob- ob tain lain a quorum Only three other members of th the committee In addition to Norris ou out of a total of at 17 showed up for today's to 10 days day's session They were Elaine Blame Ashurst D. D Ari and Black D D. D Ala Ashurst incidentally y refused last las session to sit on a subcommittee considering considering con con- prohibition i lc legislation |