The New York herald., 1922-09-01

Wet leaders confidently expect .
large proportion of the women voters
TO cast their ballots for liberal candi-
dates for Congress this autumn.
This expectation is based on a series
of careful polls conducted in some Of
the hundred Congressional districts
where the prohibition issue is to be q
factor in the November elections and
a survey of other conditions which
show which way women voters are
leaning. II the estimates are accurate
and liberal leaders in Washington
insist there can be no doubt Of tit
means the upset of the common un-
Je-standing that women may be de-
pended on, as a general group. TO vote
dry at every opportunity.
In reply to these claims. the leaders
of the women in both the Republican
and Democratic national political or
CARNATIONS insist that women as q
rule win not vote to repeal the Vol
stead law.
Estimates mt Odds.
"The women's vote in November will
be united on prohibition, regardless OF
party lines" said Mrs Harriet Taylor
Upton, chairman lof the Republican
National woman's Committee.
This also is the opiaion OF Mrs.
Emily Blair. who holds a correspond
ing position with the Democratic Ma
tional Committee.
Prohibition Commissioner Haynes,
after numerous trips through the
country in the interest OF prohibition
enforcement, in which he has had
wide opportunity Of sounding out pop
ular sentiment. believe that women
voters will insist that the Volstead law
be retained as written.
Some of the nolls-not complete, of
course, but taken with a view or OBJ
tanning rock bottom sentiment-are
said to indicate that so per cent. OF
the women voters favor modification
of the Nolstead law. Other polls in
dicate that this figure Is too high
that not more than 80 per cent, given
reasonable assurances that the sale Of
beer and wine would tend TO solve
some of the unsatisfactory features of
present day prohibition, would vote
for change.
With the woman's vote evenly divided.
liberal leaders assert men voters may be
depended on In a large percentage Of
districts 70 swing the tide in their favor.
The polls show that almost every
where fewer women favor the rnodifica-
tion OF the volstead law than men.
See voIstesd Law Failure.
But the surprising thing has been that
the sentiment among women In favor OF
letting the law stand, prohibiting every
thing containing more than one half of
one per cent OF alcohol, has not been
anything like unanimous. This was
what the wet leaders expected. IN a
general way, 50 that reports from dis
tricts which will have chance 10 vote
on the question IN November are highly
encouraging.
Such liberal leaders IN Congress as
Representatives Hill tRep.. Md and
Tinkham tRep.. Mass J, who have made
a close study Of the sentiment among wo-
men voters. say that women hags been
impressed with the failure OF the Vol
stead law 10 dry up the country. The
opposition of women IN days past has
been directed. they Insist. against the
open saloon and against such heavy
beverages as whiskey and gin. While
the saloon has been closed II is com
monty known among women az among
men that bootleggers are on hand 10
supply goods far worse than the pure
whisky and good gin ~ the old days.
All the wet candidates are appealing
for the votes OF women on the ground
that those who want % drink will get
the stuff, bad az Il may be- and that IL
would be far better to provide some
thing which would be chemically pure
than invite the illegal sale Of sinister
connections.
Emphasis is placed on two chief ar