Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-23
Why an Issue
Was Dodgcd
From the New York World.

The Prohibition party IN nntionai
convention at Lincoln, Neb., exhibits un-
mistakablc signs Of the prevailing dis-
content. II has achieved the Eighteenth
Amendment and the Volstead law, once
sIpposed TO be the limit Of its earthly de-
sires, but it refuses 10 leave the heid
or TO merge with the greater parties.
Neither the Republican nor the Demo-
cratic platform is satisfactory, because
both are silent on the great issue Of com
pulsory abstinence. Neither Senator
Harding nor Gov Cox meets the require
ments Of the situation, because, although
the former voted for amendment and law,
both are suspected of a certain liberaiity
in the matter Of enforcement. j,
Perhaps IL the Prohibitionists and
others win consider something besides
national platforms and candidates they
will discover why there is silence in one
quarter and pronounced leaning toward
generosity in the other. Occasionally an
accident occurs in politics, but IL may be
accepted as certain that the attitude OF the
old PARTIES in this case was assumed with
the utmost deliberation.
The Prohibition Amdnement was sub
| mitted to the States by Democratic
| Congress. In the Senate it passed by q
| vote Of f5 10 20, the majority being made
| up Of SO Democrats and 20 Republicans.
| In the House il was adopted by q vote
/ of 2S2 10 1913, the majority embracing
/ I41 Democrats, 1877 Republicans and 4
/ Independents.
| The Volstead act was carried over the
/ Presidents veto by a Congress Republican
/ in both branches In the Senate the vote
/ once more was 65 20 20, the majority
comprising 80 Republicans and "a Demo
| ctrats. In the House, with only bare
quorum present, the vote was l76 70 55
/ the majority numbering 81 Republicans
4 78 Democrats and 4 Independents.
1t will be seen that 30 far as Congres
/ sional action is concerned both parties
committed themselves 70 Prohibition
without consulting the people. Wher
it came to the ratification Of the amend
ment, the Legislatures Of forty-flv'
! States, Republican and Democratic alike
and some Of them in the face Of an adversi
popular vote made haste 20 ernbody in th
organic law a hateful limitstion upoi
! personal liberty
The great national conventions wer
the first truly representative assem-
blages following this revolutiOnar
change in the character Of our govern
ment. They refused N indorse the eZ
treme measures which had been fastened
upon the country, but, with their part,
record NJ Washington, they could no
condemn them Both therefore evade,
the issue. but both took care 10 nominat
men known % be ~ variance with tn
Prohibition lobby, although Mr.. Harding
after a vigorous remonstrance, ha'
weakly yielded to its appeals.
By eliminating Prohibition from tn
national campai ~, Republicans and Demo
Gratis alike have relegated II 70 the Con
gressional districts and the states tha
alect Senators this year. That is wher
Y belongs. The amendment will stand
Whether il is 10 he enforced IN accordanc
with It's plain terms or extended by fanatl
cism into an engine Of tyranny for whicl
there Ia no warrant in the fundaments
law will depend upon future Congresses
If all Interested IN the question ol
either side wIllgO into theC Congressional dis
tricts they willfind splendid opportunItle
to exercise their political power. In thos
convenient geographical divisions man
false and cowardly public servants will b
encountered seeking reelection. Tn
national conventions have delivere
them into the hands of the people wlthou
even q recommendation 10 mercy. IL
for the people, then, TO determine theI
fate and at the same time indicate th
kind of prohibition law they want
point upon which ID is believed that the
have some decided opinions.
Won fry an Every Evening -anf agtv