Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-02-02
Trial OF SENATOR NEWbERRY IS begun
PREDICTS WET
ISSUE WILL BE
APARTY PLANK
Says II Is Impossible to
Eliminate Prohibition
From Campaign.

1A111AAAA0AC I 1O114OtS4O4
From Campaign.
BIZ DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial to The Argus.)
Washington, Feb. ALI those
people who would like to have the
privilege Of buying, making. dis
tributing or drinking light wines
and beer need only make q noise
so that they may be counted and
if numerically they would appear
to exceed those who want America
kept as dry as the Sahara, they
are likely to prevail upon one Of
the big political parties to put a
plank in their next election plat
form to that effect.
Naturally the question of how to
keep the saloon extinct and the
perils Of whisky from those who
would drink it to excess and at the
same time provide for the Ameri-
can people the light wines and
beers they may want for social
beverages has puzzled the political
leaders in Washington who are in
clined not exactly to be wet" but
a trifie damp, at least damp enough
to want to acquire votes next fall.
Seriously, one Of the most power
full men in the Democratic party
informed me that he saw no rea-
son why either political party could
not go before the people and ask
them to elect congress that would
give the country light wines and
beers. His reasoning was this:
The constitutional amendment
which now is in force prohibits the
manufacture and sale Of "intOxicat-
ing" liquors. Just what is intoxi-
eating is subject to individual in
depreciation, yet when congress
passed an enforcement act declar-
ing recently that it was unlawful
to make or distribute a beverage
containing more than one-half of
one per cent Of alcohol, test suit
was brought and the supreme court
Of the United States was asked to
decide il congress had the power
to say what constituted "intoxicat-
ing beverages" And the supreme
court decided that no matter how
much alcohol in any beverage was
in fact intoxicating, when congress
fixed the percentage by statute, the
lattef'e word was final.
Up to Congress.
Thus. as many people claim that
3.75 beer Is not intoxicating. it
would be perfectly possible for con-
gress to fix the percentage at 3.75
by law. And il the American peo-
pie want light wines and beer, they
need only elect a "3.7s congress" /"
If congress can say that one-half
of one per cent is not intoxicating,
it can say that 3.75 per cent is SIM
ilarly mountaineering.
So the Democratic leaders-and
in fairness to them it must be said
that they are not now in Office but
spend their time outside of Wash
ington canvassing political senti-
ment-are wondering what the
country would think Of a plank
that definitely pledged Democratic
congressman to vote for 3.75 as the
percentage Of alcoholic content in
beverages.
There is no doubt that William
Jennings Bryan would fight to the
death any such provision in the
Democratic platform if he happens
to be a delegate to the next ma
tional convention, and there is no
doubt, too, that the Democrats
would find the party divided on the
issue. But as the time approaches
for a definition Of issues, it be-
comes more and more apparent
that Mr.. Bryan's sanguine predic-
ton that the wet and dry question
would not be a vital factor because
both parties are committed to pro-
hibition by their votes is not alto
gether certain of fulfillment.
Agreed on Saloon.
On the evils of the saloon or the
misuse of whisky there would seem
to be unanimity of opinion. but on
light wines and beer, one notices
here a tendency to regard with
considerable speculation the exact
political effect Of such plank in
any platform. The fact that Gov
ernor Edwards. Democrat, car
ried the populous state Of New Jer-
sey-which had been counted a
rock-ribbed Republican state-and
the vote in Ohio. have tended to
cause some of the Democrats to
favor a more or less wet platform.
With the Democratic party holding
its convention in the wine-growing
state of California. it would not be
surprising to find the atmosphere
of the Pacific coast somewhat
friendly to . light wines and beer
program.
But it is significant, on the other
hand, that the politicians are tread
ing cautiously and are likely to
continue to go slowly about COM
mitting themselves publicly even to
the light wines and beer idea until
they know who is to be the candi-
date of the party. II he is a pro-
nounced "dry" it would be embar-
RAISING, but ifshe has been rather
non-committal, it would be possi-
BILE for him to say that the question
is entirely one for congress to deal
with and the people can show by
their votes what party they wish
to install in power.
Repubs Undecided.
So far rs Republican politics are
concerned. there have been states
where Republicans won on n wet
platform and there have been many
in which the "drys" have practical
ly elected the Republican candi-
dates. 1t goes without saying that
II the Democrats should show an
inclination to favor light wines and
beer, the Republicans would prob
ably hail with delight the prospect