Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-06-24
RUM ISSUE WAR
WILL Be WACED
ON CONVENTION
FLOOR, BELIEF
Fierce Battle Expected By
Democrats Over the ''Pro"
Question When 1t Comes
to Framing the PIatforHn
OPINIONS DIFFER AS
TO NATURE OF PLANK
Some Want States Rights
While Others Demand That
Congress Be Urged To
Modify the VoIStead Act,

10y soss'so JOURNAL sesc,NL LsAsup w,ss
San Francisco, Calf, June % ---
A volunteer construction corps of
platform builders was busy today
whiting out planks which they
believed would meet the needs of
the democratic national convention
in expressing its views as to pro-
hihitiOn enforcement. Leaders in
cluding Chairman Cummings OF
the national committee. were in
agreement that this question would
mOnopolize the center of the con-
vention stage until it was settled
Mr. Cummings expressed tie opin-
ior that it would be the only isslie
to lie carried to the convention
f.oOl.
Opinions Differ.
Informal discussion by delegates
shows several schools OF thought
among the anti-bone dry advocates
as to how the question should be
approached They vary from the
states rights stand taken by Gov
ernor Edwards of New Jersey to
proposals that congress- be urged to
proceed directly toward modifying
the u of ! per cent alcoholic con-
tent restriction OF the NQlstead en-
foreement act. - isess MI thr, M d
I from beers and light wines The
most pronounced movement at the
moment, however, and the one
which appeared today to have
taken the most definite shape was
that originating in Washington ana
designed to offer basis on which
anti-bone dry forces could concen-
trate, Personal liberty will be the
slogan of advocates of this COM
promise plank
Not u "Pro" Issue.
Mr.. Cummings was emphatic to-
day in defining the question to be
solved as not a prohibition issue,
but merely expression of the par
tvs attitude as to the Nolstead en-
forcement act There were numer-
GUS other issues on which there
would be difference of opinion be-
| fore the resolutions committee, Mr..
| Cummings thought, including prof
| iteerng. the Industrial prank touch
| ing relations between capital and
| labor, the Irish question and 9TH
ers but no present prospect that
| they could not be harmoniZed in
committee. A minority report Is to
be expected only on the so-called
beer plank" it was agreed. and
that will throw the fight into the
convention itself
The Washington enforcement
plank was drafted in circles ordi-
narily in close touch with the ad-
ministration. 1t is understood to
have been drawn from the personal
liberty angle and to advocate in
general terms liberia liZation of the
wine, beer or any other beverage
by name was omitted.
Hope For Wilson's Backing.
The plank will be put forward as
representing the opinion Of many
senators and representatives and its
| trainers hope to be able to claim
for it the backing of President will
/ son himself. 1t was drawn after
conference in which more than
one member of the cabinet shared,
it was said and in which anti
| bone dry senators took a leading
part.
Avoidance of specific mention of
| beverages, proponents of the Wash =
| ington plank argued, and an ap-
| peal for an enforcement policy
more in harmony with American
ideas of personal liberty would
serve to prevent alienation of SEN
| timent which a more direct ap-
proach might push into the bone
| dry ranks BY such a course also,
it was added. the party's stand
could be in strict accordance with
confirming the authority of con
gress to fix permissible alcoholic
content under the prohibition
amendment.
Many Pros and Cons.
It was questionab tonight
whether any direct reference to the
Vostead act would be urged on the
platform trainers. There are pros
and cons to be thrashed out in that
respect The plank to be urged by
the anti-bone drys. however. Is ex-
pected, whatever it may say other
wise, to rap the republican con-
gress sharply for enactment Of the
enforcement measure in its existing
form. Probably. ii was said, the
attitude of Postmaster General
Burleson in his statement at San
Antonio yesterday assailing as "ab-
surd" provisions of the Volstead
act and contending that they were
calculated TO defeat the purpose of
the prohibition amendment would
he reflected in the platform Ian
guage proposed.
A new source of discussion arose
today in connection with conven-
tion procedure. 1t had to do with
determining whether the platform
should be adopted before or after
the presidential nominee has been
selected.
Chairman Cummings apparently
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