Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-08-16
LIBERAL VOTE ON DRY"
ISSUE WILL CO TO COX
Prohibition Issue Has Been Neg.
lectcd Since National Conycn-
lions Wcre Held.
BH FREDERICK EsSAItY.

WhSliiNSloN, august 1O.-W hat
has become of the prohibition issue
In this campaign-thc silent" issue,
as 1t has been called?
Leaders of both parties are ask
ing this interesting question. but the
answer is not forthcoming. Nobody
is quite certain If prohibition, as !,
great national policy. will have any
important bearing upon the outcome
or this contest. Notwithstanding all
the fuss that was made about 1t
during convention days.
Upon one point, however. there IS
agreement. The wet and dry issue
for the timo being has been suhordi-
mated to the league OF nations as Il
matter of campaign debate aud the
prospect Is that IL will remain
subordinatcd to the end.
Both party platforms arc silent
upon the question, the Republicans
having lost" their dry declaration
plank and the Democrats never hay
ing had none to lose. And both can
didates to date have preserved ST.
lence upon the question. regardless
OF the yearn!nE in both the wet and
dry camps. for some word. sign or
token of hope and encouragement.
The law enforcement pronounce
ments by Senator Harding and Gov
ernor Cox have been emphatic enough
to satisfy tho prohibitionlsts per-
haps. put nobody has expected a
candidate for the presidency 10 do
less than announce In advance :ha.
he would execute all Federal laws.
IL elected. There could scarcely re
10 hn
inees upon that proposition.
Sominccs' PersonaI Views.
But neither of tho two standard
bearers has conhded his personal,
views to the country upon proh.bi-
ton as policy. Neither has said
that he does or does not believe the
eighteenth amendment should pr re-
pcalcd. Neither has said that he does
or does not believe the Voistcad ac,
should be modified. That Is the rem
son that drys and vets alike are IN
an unhappy state OF mind.
AS fas as their respective records
go. Governor Cox Is the more liberal
OF the two candidates. Although IN
1914 he forced the saloons OF Gin
cinnati to close on Sunday and las
stated publicly that the saloon as
an institution has gone forever. he
has dcDlorcd the fact that nation.
wide prohibition was written into
the organic law At time when -
100000 American voters were in
France and at least another million
were in camps ut home unable to
vote. And he has said that tho mos.
that tho country would stand for In
the way OF liberalizing prohibition
would he to lcgalizc the manufactures
and sale of light wines and beer.
because OF these utterances Gov
ernor Cox was given the support a,
San Francisco OF the liberal delegates
in the convention, and because OF #,
he invited the uncompromlsing on
position of Mr.. Bryan and other bona
dry advocates. Also he was pro-
scribcd by the Anti-Saloon League
both at home and abroad
Democrat to Get Hulk of Vote,
Democratic leaders. however, seem
convinced that whether or not their
candidate makes any further bid for
tho wet vote. he will get the bulk Of
1t. They figure that tina; vote has
no other place 10 go Senator Hard.
ing can make no appeal TO il, hav-
Ing voted for the eighteenth amend
mcnt and the Volstcad act, they
argue. and the Republican party In
most Suites where prohibition Is stnl'
an issue. being on the dry side OF the
fence. This is particularly rue in,
New York. New Jersey and Maryland.
Moreover. it is pointed out, presi-
dent Wilson has straightout liberal
record in the matter OF prohibition.
He not only made plea to Congress
for the repeal of wartime prohibition
and followed It with a recommends
tion tina, beer and light wines be
exempted from the enforcement law,
but he went further and vetoed the
Volstcad act itself. an act fathercd
and passed by Il Republican Con-
sress. Later il was rcpassed over
his veto under Republican leadership
Support Not Enthusiastic.
Because OF these circumstances II
Is assumed that the liberals will give
their support 10 the Democratic
ticket. although they would prob
ably do so with more enthusiasm II
Governor Cox were more outspokcn
in his cham pionship OF their cause.
DrN leaders seem confident that
whoever may be elected President
In November. n dry Congress will be
elected. Even should the House be
inclined to support Cox program
for modification of the Volstead act,
the dryh believe the Senate will stand
in the way. Il. G. Dinwiddic legis-
lativc agent of the Anti-Saloon
League, has declared in a public state
ment that dry majority will be
found in the Senate after March 4.
no matter whether Cox or Harding
is elected and no matter whether the
WntS or The drNS control The nnxt