The New York herald., 1922-12-20

'it~Hc q ocdi Wltff the Jersey Demo-
Gratis. Consequently the ants intend
20 bring all the pressure they can to
induce the Republican organizations
IN other States TO dissolve the part
nership~that stiil ties them to the dry
nrganlzation.
This phase of the fight against pro-
hibition Is giving the professional dry
leaders a great deal more concern
than any other feature OF the con-
fiict. The wet leaders have worked
out plan to convince the national
leaders of the Republican party that
partnership with the Anti-Saloon
f-eague is going to confirm the pre-
Fiction OF the President in his ad-
dress to Congress. that the prohibi-
ton issue was rapidly becoming the
most important factor in politics.
An estimate prepared by a well in
formed wet leader on the probable
strength of their rapidly growing
army in the next Republican National
Convention is Illuminating il not en-
tirely accurate. Analysis of the re-
cent election has inspired -the wet
leaders to predict that more than 400
Of the 07S delegates in the next Re-
publican nominating convention will
be arrayed against prohibition. with
prospects favoring further recruits.
Wet Sentiment Indicated.
They. assert that the recent results
in Rhode. Island. New Hampshire,
West Virginia. Missouri. Wisconsin
and louisiana established beyond
question the opposition of the ma
{<,. - <f in
prohibition laws.
Confident that their prediction in
this respect viii prove correct, the wet
leaders say they viii Immediately set
about weaving the Republican or
ganizations, in the other States from
the influence OF the Anti-Saloon
League. They expect 10 make enough
noise in Congress to support the un-
dertalSing.
While admitting the probability OF
siich a move. the dry leaders assert
that when the program Of the Gov
ernment for the suppression of the
iiquor traffic is put into operation the
wet plans will prove valueless. The
drys take the position that a con-
certed move by the Federal and State
governments to enforce the prohibi-
ton laws will result in the complete
rout OF wet and moist rivals.
That the dry leaders are consider
ably perturbed by existing conditions,
however. is clearly established by the
private admissions made by some Of
them. n The more candid admit that
II the other States follow the unre-
generate Jerseymen who deserted the
Republican party to support the
Democratic candidates. the national
dry organization will be caught be-
tween the two parties. with little
chance for perpetuating the degree OF
influence now exercised by it over the
Republican party.
Only Two From the south.
The wet leaders assert. and their
dry rivals admit. that there is con-
siderable significance in the fact that
only two Governors from the South
ern States participated in the White
House conference yesterday. While
many reasons are advanced to ac-
count for this. the one most gen.
orally accepted by politicians is OF.
partisan political Importance. Ac-
cording to some of the Democratic
leaders who subscribed TO prohibition
before tho Eighteenth Amendment was
enacted the proposal to turn loose an
srmy OF Federal agents In the South
will arouse suspicion that n plan to
build up a Republican Federal ma
chine in each of those common wealths
Is involved
The majority Of Democratic SEN
ptors and Representatives. from South
ey-n States assert that the local au-
thorities in them are fully capable OF
compelling obedience to the prohibi-
ton ta,=s 4 Some of these men pre-
dict that " the Government projects
its activities into the situation South
ern State governments will resent it
and the people win generally express
their disarproval.
~ Southern Senators and Representa-
tives declare that the local govern
r1ents of the States represented by
them are fully capable OF enforcing
the prohibition laws without Federal
Intrusion. These legislators point to
tho fact that in all of the Northern
and Western States the influence OF
the Anti Saloon League was thrown
back OF Republican candidates and
thereby disproved the contention OF
the professional dry. leaders that their
organization was non partisan.
Advocates of repeal and modfica-
ton of the dry laws are naturally do
ing. all they can to provoke greater
resentment on the part OF Democrats.
Some OF them believe that so great
will be the resentment OF the Demo-
crafs in the South that they viii be
shle TO elecr a great many candidates
~, fho rex+ Cor1raaaiopal olortfop
committed TO the wet program. The
VETS express the further belief that
II the dry organization coytinues to
SUPPORT Republican candidates the
Democratic party will be forced to