South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-06-02
REPUBLICANS TO
STRADDLE LIQUOR
IN THE EPLATFORM
No Reference to National
Prohibition or Nolstead
Act to Be Included.
BY LOUIS IUDIOW.

CHICAGO, H.. June There
viii be no direct reference to the
liquor question in the republican ma
tiOnal platform.
That is the only platform Hank
that has virtua lly been agreed on 10y
the leaders in advance of the con-
ventiOn. Strictly speaking, it viii not
be a liquor plank but a law enforce
ment plank.
The words Intoxicating LIQUOR"
temperance" and all kindred ex-
pressions are to be kept out of the
platform altogether. There will be
no reference TO the national prOhi-
bitiOn amendment or the Nolstead
prohibition enforcement law by
name.
The platform will declare that the
republican party IS a party of law
enforcement and that II stands for
the enforcement of all laws or the
sta lute books. This means. of course.
that IL stands for the enforcement
of the national prohibition law al
though; as stated there will be no
place i'm the llatform where specific
mention will be made of the Vol
stead law.
Take Middle Course.
In striving 20 reach a conclusion
as to what attitude the party should
take in regard TO the liquor ques-
ton the leaders have been between
two COntending forces and they have
elected to take a middle course. on
the one hand the ultra prohibition
lists have insisted that the party
shall 90 ON record specifically against
any modification of the Nolstead
law and vigorously uphOlding pro-
h'bttiUu as a national policy, ON the
other hand an amply financed prop
aganda was launched months ago
for the purpose of trying 20 commit
either or both of the parties TO q
policy OF permitting the mauufac-
ture and sale of light wines and
beer. An ATTEMPT has been made to
show that there IS a marked and
popular reaction against drastic en-
forcement. particularly in respect Of
the light beverages.
The advance agents of the vets
who came here early to get q line
on the platform situation and who
have received an intimation that the
platform will declare for law en-
forCement and nothing more de
nounce the proposed plank as a
"straddle" and they are preparing
To move on 70 san Francisco. where
they hope TO have better luck at the
No Better Luck i'm Store.
There they are not likely TO meet
with any better luck. The democrat
lc national committee and that
means the democratic party leader
ship, is dead against the adoption
OF any sort Of a plank declaring for
modification OF national Irohibi-
ton.
To Reckon with Bryan.
William J. Bryan. who will be a
member OF the san Francisco COM
mittee on resolutions and probably
of the subcommittee that will draft
the platform will throw the whole
weight Of his powerful influence. not
only in the committee but later on
IN the convention. against a declara-
tion of policy giving the slightest
announcement 10 any phase Of the
LIQUOR traffic. He is much more in
terested in keeping the nation bone
dry than he IS In the success OF the
democratic party. He would ike 10
force the party 10 take a positive
positiOn against any attempt 10 re-
wise the prohibition law. but IL IS
understood he will be willing TO
COMPROMISE on a silence program
on the theory that when the states
ratified the prohibition constitution
al amendment the liquor question
was settled and Is no longer an IS
sue.
IL is a safe guess that the liquor
question will occupy the same sIace
| in the democratic platform 20 be
| adopted at San Francisco that II
will occupy in the republican plat
| form adopted three weeks earlier al
| Chicago.
That VIII be exactly no space at
all.