Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-08
c, O.P. TREND SEEN
IN NEW JERSEY AS
WOMEN TAKE PART
Democratic Leaders Chang
ing Tactics in State, Says
David Lawrence.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

TRENTON. N. J., October s.-New
Jersey, which was confidently counted
upon to cast its electoral vote for Cox
to the wet side Of the prohibition con-
troversy, is today more republican
than democratic, though the demo-
Gratis have at last sbegun to work ef-
fectively and may reduce what might
otherwise nave been an overwhelming
majority.
AS it is, the chances are that New
Jersey will go republican by $4,000.
Matorities this year should be cut In
half or doubled, as the case may be,
while $4,000 is a normal republican
majority in New Jersey, the woman
vote could easily bring it to 100000.
New Jersey. it will be recalled.
pressed the wet movement IN the
democratic party. Gov. Edwards car
ried the state two years ago with his
statement that he would make Jersey
"as wet as the Atlantic ocean,, Dut
times have changed since then. VIII
ness the spectacle of the same GOV.
Edwards presiding this week AZ the
democratic state convention. while a
wet plank offered for the state pat.
form was rejected on the grounds OF
"expediency."
Woman Suffrage Has Eject.
Woman, suffrage is responsible Tor
the tactics Of the democratic leaders.
The women in the democratlc party
forced a change. Moreover, the wet
elements had been the uncompromis-
ing foes of woman suffrage. with
two such causes for disafection, 1t
was essential from a political view
point to forget the wet question and
endeavor to muster the woman vote
for the democratic candidate on the
league of nations issue.
E,dWx rda himself Is quoted az
having explained the situation thus:
The platform of the democratic
party Of New Jersey ignores the
liquor question as a matter of policy.
I didn't vote on the resolution be-
cause as presiding officer Of the con-
vention I was not called upon to.
Those who opposed the resolution
0avoring a wet plank) had ma
Ivority of five in the convention. As
presiding officer I gave them all and
more than was coming to them. Ig-
noring the dry issue cannot be in
terpreted to mean that the party in
New Jersey has undergone a change
of heart The majority simply be-
lieved it was good policy to leave
such a plank out Of the platform this
year"
Fear Public Misconstruction.
The same reporter who interview
ed Gov. Edwards asked him how he
WOuiQ nave VOteQ on inc NuSoNt Te<S-
olution had he been called upon to
make a public expression before the
convention.
IF I answer that question" he
said, II will be misconstrued by the
public"
Gov. Cox did have a chance to re-
peat what Gov. Edwards did two
years ago-win New Jersey on wet
issue by a narrow margin-but the
| enfranchisement Of the women has
made that impossible. The demo-
cratic nominee. who spoke dry doc
| trine in Portland, Ore, and began
getting more and more arid on the
prohibition question as he faced west
ern audiences. evidently must have
| been told about the ground swell In
the east coming from the feminine
| voters.
Not Voting ON League.
But with New Jersey trying to side
track the wet question, what are the
other issues? The democrats privately
more influential in the state. and that
| it has said many things about the
| league of nations which have ap-
! pealed to the prejudices of the diff
ferent elements in the electorate. For
| instance, the Irish have been alienat-
! ed by talk of "a British league" And
/ many woman voters cherish a grudge
| against the Nugent machine for its
| opposition to woman suffrage. Put
on top of that the undercurrent of
restlessness which is prevalent in
New Jersey as elsewhere in the coun-
try. consider, indeed, the discomfort
over the high cost of living and the
irritations which are inevitable in a
reconstruction period following war
of such magnitude as that through
which America has passed, and yaur
conclusion cannot but be that the demo-
Gratis have about as much chance to
segregate the league Of nations to
the exclusion of all else domestic as
the proverbial SNOWFALL. New Jersey
isn't voting on the league OF nations.
| Some elements undoubtedly will vote
/ pro and con, but fundamentally New
/ Jersey Is reverting to repubIica nism.
not with much enthusiasm. but as a
\ matter Of Unconditional expediency.