ADVERTISING OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1956 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE, Washington, D. C. The committee met at 10 a. m., in the caucus room, House Office Building, Hon. Percy Priest, chairman, presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order. The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce is meeting this morning to begin hearings on H. R. 4627, a bill introduced by our colleague from Kentucky, Mr. Siler. The purpose of the bill is to prohibit the transportation in interstate commerce, whether by use of the mails or otherwise, of any newspaper, periodical, newsreel, photographic film, or record which advertises alcoholic beverages or contains the solicitation of an order for such beverages. It would also prohibit such advertising or solicitation by radio or television. Penalties are provided in the bill for violation of any of its provisions. Two days have been scheduled for these hearings. Today will be set aside for the proponents and tomorrow will be set aside for the opponents of the bill. A large number of requests for time have been made by both sides. The committee regrets that it will not be possible to hear all of these witnesses at length. They have been so advised and they have been urged to consolidate their viewpoints and avoid repetition as much as possible. And, may the Chair express very deep appreciation to those who have been so willing to help in this consolidating of testimony for the sake of saving time. We hope that this can be done. All those who will not be able to present their statements orally will have the opportunity of filing them for the record in this hearing. Two years ago this committee held extensive hearings on an identical bill, H. R. 1227, introduced by our late colleague, Mr. Bryson. The committee issued a report on this bill (83d Cong., 2d sess., H. R 2670) in which it stated: The bill before the committee and the hearings held thereon raise many difficult issues, particularly those of a constitutional character resulting from the adoption of the 21st amendment. These issues require further consideration and more detailed information * The committee has available the volumes of the hearings that were held 2 years ago. All of that information is there. Inevitably, of course, in a similar hearing on the same bill there will be a great deal of duplication of testimony which it has in its possession and the Chair makes this special plea, that we move forward with our testimony just as rapidly as we can without any intention of rushing anybody ADVERTISING OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON APR 27 1956 DIV INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN CE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FOURTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON H. R. 4627 A BILL TO PROHIBIT THE TRANSPORTATION IN INTERSTATE FEBRUARY 16 AND 17, 1956 Printed for the use of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce |