Evening star., 1922-10-27
WET ISSUE LWENS
NEW YORK CONTEST
Smiths Accepting Challenge
on Point Seen as G. O. P.
Advantage.
By N. o. MESSENGER.

STAN correspondent OF Inc Star.
NEW YORK. October 27.-Chickens
are coming home to roost in the DEM
ocratic camp. 1t will be recalled how
gayly and blithesomely the demo-
Gratis, at their state convention in
Syracuse. adopted the wet" plank in
their platform. Not a word of pro-
test spoken in convention. though
there had been earnest exhortation
against It before the platform conf
nittee and to the leaders, who had
lent deaf ear.
For nearly three weeks that
plank was not commented upon by
the republicans, as the campaign pro-
gressed. Neither had Candidate Smith
found II eypedient 10 discuss IT. Rut
here the night before last the hither-
to submerged issue came to the front.
1t was at Elmira, where Candidate
Smith spoke to a large audience. For
two days prior to his coming there
had been printed in the local papers
half-page advertisements proclaim
ing his alleged advocacy of the wet
cause. One OF them declared that Mr..
Smith wanted the saloon back. An
other quoted the democratic platform
plank on the prohibition question.
Dinner Remark Quoted.
Another quoted a remark attributed
to Smith at a democratic dinner last
April in New York city. in which he
is alleged to have said that Il don't
believe that the democratic party
should camoufiage on this subject.
The democratic party is saloon par
ty and everybody knows 1t is a sa
and say So"
The advertisement called upon
Smith to say whether he is wet or
dry He promptly accepted the chal-
lenge and declared that he stood by
the democratic platform. That docu-
ment in treating of this subject SAYS:
"Recognizing that the interpreta-
tion of the eighteenth anne endment to
the federal Constitution expressed in
the Volstead act has resulted in wide
spread contempt and violation of the
law. in illegal traffic In liquors and
in official corruption. we insist upon
Congress enacting such modification
of the Volstead act as shall legalize,
subject to the approval of the state of
New York. the use of beer and light
wines under such careful restrictions
as were imposed by the law passed in
New York in 1921"
Denies Wanting Saloon.
Smith denied that he wanted the
saloon back and then proceeded to at
tack State Senator Lowman. chairman
of the republican county committee.
to whom he imputed the authorship
of the advertisements. insinuating
that he was interested in state road
contracts.
The point is that at last the lid had
been taken or of a real live issue IN
the campaign, which will be reiiel
from the reiteration and reiteration
of the respective merits OF the execu.
tive records of former Gov. Smith and
present Gov. Miller. The democratic
managers had hoped that this would
be one of tho ignored issues OF the
campaien-existent, but not ex-
ploited-believing that the republic
ans would prefer to let it ride. on
the ground that while 1t would be ad-
vantageous to them to have 1t exist
as an issue upstate, In the rural dis
tricts and the small home towns. they
would not care to stress opposition TO
it In the industrial communities and
cities.
So it is out in the open at last. 1t
will be heard from in progressive de-
gree from now on. The republicans
have won the first round by putting
candidate Smith on the defensive. so
to speak, although as a point of fact
he has seemingly welcomed the is
sue. From now on. he will have to
defend himself against the odium i'm
nuted to him of being the candidate
who favors the wet element.
Double Eject Seen.
It is readily imaginable that this
NAV not hurt him with a certain ele-
ment In Greater New York. but 1t
must be borne In mind hat he would
he their candidate just the same.
The psychology of the republican
rame is that, while there is 4 great
deal of talk about light wines and
beer indulged in by persons who
would not be classed as "wets," when
n comes to the point of actually
voting to let the camel poke his nose
nnder the tent many a man and
woman voter who the night before
had regretted the absence of q bottle
~ beer and . rarebit after the bridge
narty or the social gathering. will. In
the cold gray morning OF election
6av when In the solitude OF the vot-
ing booth think, Of the kiddies at
home and enthusiasm may wane for
admitting wines and beerA