Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-06-27
THOSE LOST" PLANkS.
w. NJ POLE, Editor
O. S. WARDEN. Manager


letter to United States Senator Reed Smoot Oh
Utah, William Allen White of Kansas and James
E. Watson of Indiana, the latter chairman OF
the committee on resolutions at the RepuDll-
can national convention, demands an explana-
tion as to how the plank adopted in the resolu-
tions committee reciting the Volstead act as an
achievement Of the Republican congress, got
'1ost" on the road from the Congress hotel TO
the Coliseum. The Volstead act, be 1t remem-
bered, is the law which puts the "kick" into the
eighteenth amendment
Mr.. Hinshaw charges that both Senator
Smoot and William Allen White have asserted
that the resolutions committee included IN lts
draft of the Republican platform the claim tnat
the Volstead act was an achievement OF the Re-
publican congress, further referred to it In
manner which was virtual Endorsement anu
in addition mentioned the eighteenth amend
ment in such manner as to strengthen the
party stand on that legislation. Neither Oh
these resolutions were transmitted to the con-
vention nor were they read before 1t, says the
irascible Mr.. Hinshaw.
The letter in which he wants to know how,
when and why things happened to them, fol-
lows:
"You will recall that organizations came be-
fore your committee representing between 70
and 80 millions of American citizens urging the
adoption of a plank indorsing the eighteenth
amendment as interpreted by the Volstead act
or some measure equally effective.
"You met and considered the matter, accord
ing to the testimony of Senator Reed Smoot and
William Allen White, and according to both Mr.
Smoot and Mr.. White, you included as part OF
the platform mention of the VolStead act as
an achievement Of the Republican party in
congress which amounted to the same as an
Endorsement of said act. According to Mr.
Smoot you passed another resolution strength
ening your stand with reference to the eight
eenth amendment.
These resolutions were not transmitted to
the national convention in the Coliseum; they
were not read before said convention. Mr.. Wat
son. will YOU as chairman Of the resolutions
committee, please explain how the same were
lost in transmission and what is the effect OF
the disappearance? Certain hopeful Republi-
can papers over the country admit the facts as
above stated but are endeavoring to make 1t ap-
pear before the country that said resolutions
are nevertheless part of the Republican plat
form Will you please state whether or not they
are and also present the exact wording for pub
licaton?
eve have piled upon our desk resolutions of
local organizations from all parts Of the United
States including women's clubs, oranges, lodges,
commercial clubs, labor unions, ETC., represent
ing hundreds of thousands of people, copy of
which have been sent to United States Senator
Sheppard for the Democratic party and United
States Senator Capper for the Republican party.
These resolutions which have been passed in
the past three weeks represent the cream Of our
land and read as follows:
"'Be it resolved that we hereby authorize our
names to be used at each and every political
convention to be held in 1920 notifying the
leaders Of all parties that we will support such
parties as specifically indorse by platform de-
claration the eighteenth amendment as inter-
preted by the Volstead act or some measure
equally effective and nominate candidates un-
equivocally committed to its enforcement
"What can we say to these people? Can we
tell them that the Republican party will stand
by the Volstead act or some measure equally
effective? Can we tell them that it will turn
deaf ear to the pleadings of beer and wine men
who are asking for the passage of laws with
more liberal Interpretation?
''The regular quadrennial convention of the
Prohibition party meets July 21, Lincoln Neb
We want to know in advance what is the at
titude of the Republican party. There are hun
dreds of thousands outside of the Prohibition
party ranks as evidenced by resolution already
passed who will not support any party this wear