The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-07-24
WET AND DRY TO
Be ISSUE IN THE
NATIONAL fight
Recent Declaration of Secre-
tary Weeks Has Started
Ball to Rolling and Cabi-
net Men Criticised.


Wet and dry as an issue in the COM
ing campaign was brought forward in
a very rotent way by the recent declar
alton Of Secretary Weeks in favor Of
permitting the manufacture and sale
of beer and hight wines. Already one
of the underlying issues In the cam
paign has been the movement to liber-
alize the Nolstead act, defining an in
toxicant as greater than one-half of one
per. cent. The declaration by Secretary
Weeks, while not intended as reflect
ing an opinion OF the administration,
has tended to stimulate the movement
OF the vets and Of the association OPP
posed TO the prohibition amendment
which has been gaining adherents in
the seaboard states and in the states
east Of the Mississippi river.
1t appears now that Secretary Weeks
was placed in the position Of a wet
advocate by the indiscretion OF an in.
terviewer who, il is asserted, gave pub.
licity to views privately expressed.
However. Mr.. Weeks declined to re.
pudiate the sentiment expressed on the
liquor question, but informed those who
attempted to get an elaboration Of his
position hat II should not be assumed
that he in any represented the ad-
minisraion. President Harding also
felt compelled to inform inquirers that
Mr.. Weeks had expressed only his
private views and hat they should not
be interpreted as rejecting the policy
OF the administration.
Vets Find Comfort.
Despite the steps taken to remove
any semblance OF an official statement
from Secretary Weeks remarks there
is no o%v1rlooking the fact that the wet
forces have found comfort in the Incl
lent. And these remarks are now be-
ing published broadcast together with
the assertions OF other cabinet members
OF the presidents family, as part of
the campaign Of the vets in favor OF
u modification OF the Volstead act.
-Four members Of the Harding cabinet
are now declared TO have wet proclivi-
ties. or rather had such views before
they associated themselves with the ad'
m~inistration. These are Secretaries
Fall, Davis, Weeks and Attorney Gen
eral Daugherty. None of them is now
attempting to avoid responsibility for
his past Vows, although they decline at
present - say whether they favor the
election of a liberal congress pledged
to the voters to modify the Volstead
act by redefining what is an intoxicant.
MY views as being opposed 10 prohi-
bition are well konwn as a private citi-
zsn," said Secretary Davis. AS a
public officer l have nothing TO say"
Fall Not Interested.
Secretary Fall said hat he was not
Interested In the issue, adding: A a
member of the senate judiciary commit
tee which considered the Volstead
act. l was opposed to it and voted TO-
beer and light wines"
Attorney General Daugherty is clas'
sed as one who opposed the prohibition
amendment. Those who have talked
with him say that he would like TO see
the country placed on a beer and light
wine basis, n II could be done legally.
As a senator Mr.. Weeks voted against
dry measures. II Is a well known fact
in Washington that Secretary Weeks
has long entertained liberal views on
the question OF prohibition. He voted
more than once against dry measures
while a member Of the senate. his most
important being against making the
District OF Columbia bone dry wher
the rest VI the country was wet.
While MIR. Weeks's friends say thai
he did not intend that his private views
IN favor OF beer and light "i"as shoule
became public. yet since hey fount
way into print he has declined TO repu
date them. The interview printed II
Pennsylvania correctly reflected his SCI
/ timents. hut he had no idea while talk
ing with his interviewers mat he wa
10 be quoted. Ii Is said that he wa
only expressing his views informally
He failed, however, TO caution the new
MINER men against publishing his re
marks.
showdown Called.
The publication. correctly quoting Nd
Weeks. shows him TO be an V
OF the concrete proposition OF legaiize'
light wines and beer-a p~roposiuo'
which is being more and more Wider
championed as a compromise that hasn
sottsfv all interests except the extrem
drys and the equally extreme vets
Nothing which has occurred IN a.
official way since the beer and hgh
wine movement took on something 9
organized propaganda has so encourage
tho vets AS Mr.. Weeks declaration
They see IN II a strong argument In IN
coming elections and they intend to us
II 10 the utmost. But just as 1t has II
spIred the vets to greater efforts an
heightened their hopes. 50 1t u III
no,lod tho drys to renewed endeaVoi