Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-06-28
LEAGUE AND LIQUOR
IN BITTER BATTLE
Factions Gathering Fol
Sharp Contest in San
Francisco
WET PLANK DRAFTED
Postmaster-Generars Program Calls
For individual Liberty" And Mod
ificatiOn Of VOlstead Act.

| San Francisco June 28.-BOth vets
| and drys have launched their planks
| on the Democratic seas Of alcoholic
differences, with stormy passage
promised to the final horbor of the
convention floor.
For the drys, William ]. Bryan
! made public his proposed plank, g
sweeping declaration for enforcement
IF the Volstead law, without increase
n beverages alcoholic content.
From the wet camp came alterna-
tive planks drafted by Postmaster
General Burleson. One declares for
individual liberty" and modification
If the Volstead law to remove its
| drastic and unreasonable features
and the alternate for amendment per
hitting beverages ''in fact not in
.oXicacing."
The planks are to be presented to
the resolutions committee upon its
organization and regardless OF the
outcome there it was generally ex-
pected that the liquor fight would
reach the convention itself.
With both wet and dry factions work
ing hard through the Sabbath, there
also was strong movement to pre-
vent any mention Of the liquor ques-
ton in the platform, a movement
backed by many powerful leaders.
The Bryan prohibition plank fol-
lows:
1--WE heartily congratulate the DEM
ocratic party OH its splendid leader
ship in the submission and ratifica
ton Of the prohibition amendments to
the Federal Constitution and we
pledge the party to the effective en-
forcement of the Volstead law honest
! ~ and in good faith, without any in
crease in the alcoholic content Of per-
mitted beverages and without any
weakening Of any other of its pro-
visions"
~ guess there is no doubt about
what that means" said Mr.. Bryan.
1--WE will give every delegate chance
10 60 on record for or against it. !
expect to have it adopted by the Reso-
luton committee
Mr.. Burleson, after reading the
Bryan plank, gave out his proposals,
declaring, however. that he had draft
ed them by himself and spoke only
for modification of present laws.
The proposed plank which Mr.. Bur
Lesson said he believed would meet the
sentiment Of the great majority of
the American people" reads:
"The open saloon has been general
" condemned by the American peo-
pie as menace to society and the well
being of the people and its restoration
should not be tolerated. The validity
of the Eighteenth Amendment to the
Constitution having been sustained by
the Supreme Court any law enacted
under it's authority must be strictly
enforced. However, the Democratic
panty pledges its utmost endeavorS to
prevent this new grant of Fedora!
Y
power from being exercised in such
manner as to become oppressive or
deprive the people of that individual
liberty which it was the purpose Of
4 the Union of States to guarantee and
\ preserve through all time. The Vol
stead act, vetoed by Democratic
4 President and passed over his veto by
a Republican Congress. is an extreme
exercise of the powers granted by the
Eighteenth Amendment and it should
be so amended in strict conformity
with the spirit and purpose of the con-
/ stitution so as to eliminate therefrom
! its drastic and unreasonable features.
We favor an amendment to the Fed
eral Constitution requiring all amend
mcnts hereafter proposed thereto to
be ratified or rejected by referen-
dun of the qualified voters Of the sew
eral States of the Union.
NOTICE