Counting Day

Abernethy? No! Adkins? No! Aldrich? Aye! Allen? No! . . .

Before packed galleries the House roll was being called on the first clear-cut issue of the 18th Amendment since its original passage Dec. 18, 1917 by a vote of 282-to-128. A parliamentary petition by 145 Wets had forced this question: Shall the House take up a resolution by Pennsylvania's Beck and Maryland's Linthicum to amend the Constitution for the return of liquor control to the States? The Wets, with no hope of actual victory, purposed by this ballot to put every House member on record on Prohibition, weed out the weaslers for the coming campaign, exhibit the growing Wet strength. Before the counting began, Drys claimed the Wet vote would not exceed 160. Wets predicted they would get at least 180. Final result: 227 Drys voting No; 187 Wets voting Aye.

Though the Drys, as was expected, defeated the Beck-Linthicum resolution, the Wets were jubilant at making a better showing than they anticipated. They had planted a large and solid milestone from which to measure their future progress.

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