Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-12
NOMINEES OF "DRYS"
FORMALLY ACCEPT
Watkins and Colvin Declare Pro
hibition Party Faces q
Real Issue.
ny Associated Press to Every Evening

by Associated Press 10 Every Evening
Germantown, Ohio, Aug. 12.-Before
an enthusiastic crowd of neighbors, ad.
mirers and party adherents that over
flowed the athletic field at Miami Military
Institute here last night, the Rev. Aaron
:. Watkins, Presidential candidate OF the
Prohibition party, and ID. Leigh Colvin
ms running mate. formally accepted their
nominations. both asserting enforcement
of prohibition laws, and especially the
Nolstead act were vital issues of the cam
pa,gn.
The candidates will carry the gospel
of their party into every section OF the
country by airplane Decision for the ali
campaign was reached late this after
noon by the National Executive Com
mittee. after an all-day session.
After introduction and reference to the
fact that all platforms contain many
planks that are self-evident statements
to which no one could take exceptions,
Mr.. Watkins stated that he would confine
his attention 10 half dozen outstanding
questions on which there was q difference
OF opinion. Upon the League OF Nations
he said:
The Democratic party has practically
adopted the entire program OF the Presi-
dent, notwithstanding the fact that the
or demands a material revision of the
same. The Republican platform declares
for League of Nations, but In the large
number of radical reservations called for
and In the discussions given by their can
didate for president Senator Harding, IL
becomes apparent that their attitude is
one of almost unqualified opposition. Our
party has not hesitated to make q definite
and clear statement on the question. We
believe in some reservations, but the
assumption that all super-government is
wrong, unpatriotic, and un-American,
makes all hope of the formulation Of q
real League of Nations an impossibihty.
IL becomes a choice then, between a
League of Nations that goes far beyond
the desires and convictions of the mass
Of our citizens and League that is so
spineless, weak, and inadequate, that IL
no longer deserves the name. We are not
frightened by the cry of ''Americanism. :"
We believe that the truest American in
these days of worldwide affairs, is the
man who recognizes the duty and obli-
CATION of America to all the nations of the
earth.
1T is very apparent that League, to
be useful and efficient IN preventing the
recurrence of other world wars. must pos
sess some power and that each separate
sstioo must be willing to make some con-
.-s,ssilv. Civil liberty, moreover, is built
upz- the surrender of so-called personal
liberty H. order to advance the freedom
of the individual in the form of civil
liberty So we believe in the long run,
whatever concessions may be granted by
America TO the League of Nations will
be more than repaid by the prestige and
power that Will accrue to our nation from
Al 4 l..
THE Treaty of Peace ought never TO
have included the Covenant of the League
of Nations. If man is dangerously sick,
II would be a very unwise physician who
would sit down and formulate plan 10
avoid recurrence of the attack while the
patient was tossing in pain. Cure the
present attack and then give advice con-
ccrnIng preventive measures.
But the treaty in its combined form
Is before us, and Is already signed by a
large group Of nations. il Is fact not a
vision, What shall we do with il? The
answer Is, secure whatever reservations
and amendments are possible and abso-
lutely essential-and then signi
Another great question that will take
prominence IN the party discussions is that
Of labor and capital. Upon this question
both platforms are voluminOus vague an )
unsatisfactory. They contain much that
Is undoubtedly true. and something that
may be interpreted in either direction.
according 10 the sympathies of the reader
The Prohibition party declares for indus
trial peace and states that the government
ought TO assume the responsibility of
protecting the public against the waste
and extravaganza of industrial warfare
''On the question of equal suffrage, all
parties have declared and their declara-
tons meet our heartiest approval. Hence,
this Is not an issue nor debatahle question
IN the campaign. But we call the atten-
ton OF the country at large to the fact
that the Prohibition party declared for
equal suffrage in the very beginning of its |
history and has stood uniformly and con- |
stantly for that reform all these wears. |
We believe we have the first right and /
chief claim upon the suffrage of the newly |
enfranchised womanhood. Our party has /
always stood for the individual and for /
the home. We have made the dollar |
secondary and character primary and /
whatever injured the home or restricted |
the happiness of the mothers, wives, /
sisters and daughters of the land, has met |
with our unqualified condemnation.
To us, the supreme question of the /
year Is not equal suffrage, the League of /
Nations, Mexico, or Armenia, nor any
OF the minor questions upon which all i
agree. The great issue is the entire
extinction OF the liquor traffic.
Both candidates have made a formal /
declaration in favor of law enforcement.