New-York tribune., 1922-11-17
W ets CIseereel
By Ietter, Start
Lieguns,r I)riiiv c
tcaasiau.d from psse.ons,

ing letter to- Mrs Robinson, that the
| wsss would make 81 fight to liberalize
the Voisteaelg act. hut until to-day
theres waag no certainty. how or whesl
this hight wauid bermades AL the wets
had really hoped for was a. chance TO
forces a; vote one some moist, amend
| ment which would reveal accurately
the line-up.
To Use 0id Tactics of Drys,
They had. planned to- follow the
same tactics so successfully pursued
fer years by the Anti-Salcon League
| and the srfragigts. of Ioscing a vote
IN every Congrese, whether there was
any hope or not, Just TO keep the issua
before the country and to have ae-
curate information as to how the vari-
GUS Senators and Representative
would record themselves on a public
roll call. This gave the oppoTtunitS
at the election following each roll call
TO work for the defeat OF opponents
and the success of friends.
Inc Harding letter to Mrs. Robinson
hsas given them the ideas OF meeting the
Presidents objections to, thu bonus
bill Of last session, by providing the
revenue by a. tax on light wines and
beer. The thought of raising tne
revenue i1 this way is not new. 1t
was seriously advocated by half q
dozen wet leaders II, the last session
Of Congress.
But at that time the vets had never
gwen thought to tae posg; h;lity that
President Harding would not vigorous
" oppose such & pian. They had tal.e;,
Tor granted. becanee he mad voted as, a.
Senator in favor Of the prohibition
sanentlr1e1t and later OF the Volstead'
ast tnat he @as s. pronounced dry.
tneyr mad forgotten the reasons he gave
friends at the time for his vote on
the Eighteenth Amendment.
See His Reason Disproved
Now this reason-t that he sincere,
wished to get the prohibition Issue ou
of politicsA-seems to them 10 have dis
appeared, in that the, submission OF
she prohibition amendment to the
states, and even its ratification, has,
lasnentabiy failed TO put the. quietus. on
the booze iesue. It is a livelier issue
now II, many states. than il vas before
the Eighteenth Amendment was sub
mltted-more vigorous even tttan il
was during the fight in the, various
states to win ratification by the legig-
laSnres. Evesf in states which. during,
this fight for ratification, were decided
" dry to all outward appearances, and
whose legislatures approved The Eig}r-
teenth Amendments by substa a,.tial ma,
ioTit'ea, the issue is raging.
In two of the most important states
IN the Union from the national po-
l,tical viewpoint--New Jersey and
Ohio prohibition was the paramount
issue In the campaign just ended. 1t
was rampant also in New York, Mary
land and Illinois, and escaped hecorn-
ing OF greater importance in Massa-
cnosetts only becauEs both parties,
nominated pronounced vets. Actually
It was important IN, the Bay State dur
ing the, primary fights.
III addition, it WAS the vital issue in,
scores of Congressional districts in
ovaer states, in many of which it is
generally recognised that tie states.
as units would vote dry.
White Kouse Nesentfui
Meanwaile silence is maintained! at
| the White House. ResentIneat at tho
naakang public of ths letter TO- Mrs.
Robinson 10 svident, hut even to-day,s
disclosure that the Pres lent had writ
ten q letter On the SAFE subject Of,
poSsihle moist Legislation 10 y. G..
Stokes, Republican state chat,-ra,, Of
Ne7T lesscyr did not result in any ststa-
ment from the President or his Of
acial family.
The possibility OF the President sd.
vocsting the liberalization Of THE Vol
stead sct overshadowed even the dos
perate efforts of q. few near-rnoica, !,
Senator's now on, the ground to throw
q third party scare into the country
1t was recalled that on sovera! occs-
a'ons recently John H Weeks. sacre-.
tary OF Var, ore OF Preaidea1t Hard
Sngss closest advisers, had ,assailad the
"othtead act. 1t Isl known that sev-
era! other members o. the CsbineS svs.
at least rneist, il not wet.
!, 90 tnat there is really ns end to
tae specusation going On here as to tho
possibilities Of the situatie,,.