The New York herald., 1922-08-28
VETS PICK HUNDRED
: FIELDS FOR BATTLE
Continued from First Page.

Continued from First Page.
and Wisconsin. a large percentage Of the
rural population is liberal.
At this early date Il is impossible to
foretell how many wet candidates may
be expected to win, but their leaders
declare that the wet membership Of the
House should be augmented by not less
than fifty. This addition to the present
strength should make 1t possible, their
leaders say, to force a modification of
the volstead law, thereby permitting the
sale Of beer and wine.
It Is held that OF the present House
membership, approximately 125 either
are wet or sympathetically wet, and
would vote for modification Of the
volstead law on tho ground that such
an addition to their ranks should be
interpreted as q referendum showing
that the people opposed the present
stringent laws.
It IL conceded. Of course, that this IS
q narrow margin with which to work
ITS votes In total of 435--and yet. as
House votes go, with continuous vacan-
cies and many absentees, few bills pass
with a greater majority than 176. Some
of the more enthusiastic vets insist that
they have chance to increase the wet
forces by almost 100 votes. while others,
less optimistic, say they cannot count on
more than go. It 10 admitted that much
will depend on the developments Of the
various national and local issues and the
way party politics Is injected in the
carnnaipp ,earer the e1Act iona
In spite of repeated reports to the
contrary and the few isolated primary
elections In which prohibition was
involved, the prohibition forces, led by
Wayne B. Wheeler Of the Anti-Saloon
League, will not admit that the vets
have gained. They predict that the dry
sentiment in the next Congress will be
stronger than ever.
Latest Dry Figures.
Mr.. whveler's latest figures cover
primary contests in 25s Congressional
districts, in which 227 present members
Of the House have been renominated.
OF this number he declares 17S are dry
and 40 wet. The new candidates, he
says, are dry two to one.
These figures are not contested by the
vets, who say, however, that the figures
give a false impression, since they in
clude ali districts, even those dry for a |
long time and where tho vets never had
chance. There is no question, the vets
insist that the beer and wine Issue will
be an essential one in not fewer than
100 districts, with early reports showing
that wet candidates have much better
than an even chance Of election.
SO far as the country is concerned.
the outstanding wet and dry contests
will be those OF Senator Reed. running
on the Democratic ticket against r. r.
Brewster, the Republican nominee in
Missouri Gov. Edwards against Senator
Frclinshuysen (Republican) in New Jer-
sey and Senator Pomerene. on tho DEM
ocratic ticket. against Representative
Simeon ID .F'ess (Republican) In Ohio.
Mr.. Brewster. who defeated the wet
Republican candidate for the Senatorial
nomination In Missouri. is forcing the
issue there. and It 10 being accepted will
ingly enough by Senator Reed. who has
been consistent in his opposition to ma
tionai prohibition and who called Repre-
sentative volstead. among other things.
IAN old witch.'
The dripping wetness Of Gov. Edwards
is responsible for the issue In New Jer- |
sey, although efforts are being made to
show that Senator Frelinshuysen is by |
no means dry--thc size OF the stock in |
his cellar is referred to from time to |
time as evidence. New Jersey. by the
way. ratified the Eighteenth Amendment |
only a few months ago, long after 1t |
went into effect. leaving but two States
still to ratify-Connecticut and Rhode |
Island. New Jersey many times has
been referred TO as the wettest State in
the country.
Pomerene's Attitude.
In Ohio the issue comes through the
fact that Representative Fess Is rcceiv- !
ing the aid OF the Anti-Saloon League, |
which opposes Senator Pomerene's wet |
record. Practically for long time Ohio |
has experienced wet and dry elections, |
and so long as the vets came out VIC
tor,ous Senator Pomerene opposed ma
tional prohibition. He said he would |
vote as his State voted
After the State went dry. two months |
before national prohibition went into |
effect. Senator Pomerene, still applying |
the referendum policy. supported en-
forcement legislation, including the VOL
stead law, with the exception OF the re-
Gently considered bill forbidding the |
manufacture and sale OF beer for me-
dicinal purposes.
Representative Fess, on the other
hand, always has been dry. Just how !
far prohibition will figure in the Ohio |
contes. is a question. Other issues. such |
as a call to support the Ohio President, |
may force It into the background to some
extent
Upward Of 250,Ooo men and women
In Ohio asked for a referendum on the |
beer and wine issue at the coming eiec- |
tion, but last week the Secretary OF
state decided II should not be held. He
declared that whatever tho outcome II
would be Of no avail because the ma
tional prohibition law could not be su-
perseded. The vets, In this, had ex-
pected TO regard the outcome. IL favor
able, as a referendum by which the
Ohio Senators and the twenty-five men,
bcrs of the House should be guided on
beer and wine legislation. This will, OF
course, prevent prohibition from becom-
ing as much of an Issue as II otherwise
would have been.
Surprising uncertainty exists in Re-
publican and Democratic headquarters
and among wet and dry leaders gem
orally as to how women will vote where
prohibition Ia an issue. AZ first II ap.
peared that women. accepting without
question the theory that prohibition In
a moral issue, would vote dry. On the
other hand. there Ia no mistalting that
large percentage OF women favor
modification or the volstead law, par
ticularly to allow the sale OF beer and