Evening star., 1922-05-14
'DRY BOMB R0USES
MARYLANDPOL|T|CS
Governor Charged With De.
feating Prohibition and Anti
Betting Legislation.
,pecisl Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BALTIMORE, May 13.-The political
sensation of the week here was the
bitter attack made upon Gov. Ritchie
by William Purnell Hall. leader of the
dry" and reform forces, at the ses-
sion of the legislature just closed In
his attack. which was made at dln-
ner rendered him by the Anti-Saloon
League, Mr.. Hall accused the governor
of being responsible for the defeat
of the prohibition enforcement act
and the anti betting bill, which would
have closed all the racetracks IN
Maryland. He also charged that the
governor had promised Senator Nor
ris to run for the Senate so Norris
could take the governors chair next
March and get an organization OF MS
own with which to capture the next
eubernatorial nomination for MN
self" He also declared that GOV
Richie "broke this promise when nc
got cold feet on the senatorsnlp; mn
Mr.. Hall charged that the $l,ooo,Uu'
loan for road construction In SOUTH
ern MARYLAND was one of the gov
ernor's schemes which got four VoleS
in the senate against the dry "ii
and the anti betting bill.
Governor Denies Charges.
Gov Richie. who was in Atlantic
City on a vacation at the time the
Hail attack was made, TOOK occa
sion to deny the statements niaoe "
Mr.. Hall, but further than TINS "ouia
have nothing to say. he intimacy v
very broadly that he had no WISH ~
condescend to a muo-siihsihs
x,-;fh Ia
That Gov. Ritchie will be asked to
change his mind about the senatoriai
nomination and get into the nsht'
leading solid line OF democracy'
with the exception of the Lewis 1oi-
lowers. was one of the reports which
came out yesterday.
1t is reported that the democratic
leaders see in the governors an
nOunced, course of action nothlhe pu.
strife in the democratic party; and
eventually a knock down -and-drag ,
out" conflict between Ritchie ana
the gubernatorial nomination TWO
years from now.
Fear the Results of "Muddle."
The reports that are going the
rounds now are that the democratic
leaders fear the situation has become
so muddled with state Senator VIII
liam l. Norris and former Represent
ative David ]. Lewis in the ring that
the party may be split on the wet
and dry" issue so hopelessly that
wet" republican candidate would
have a good chance of winning out
in what the leaders claim is demo-
cratic year in Maryland. 1t is
thought that Norris would drop out
if the governor would decide to en-
ter, and would be quite satisfied to
become governor.
h trh
considerable comment is that "Davy"
Lewis. who has been looked upon as
the candidate of the ''dryS' in the
senatorial fight. will shortly issue
statement defining his attitude on the
prohibition question. Mr.. Lewis lis
didate to date whose views on the
prohibition question have not been
expressed.
DEVELOPMENTS In G. o. p. Ranks.
On the republican side there have
been no developments in the sena-
torial fight this week. While Rep
resentative John Philip Hill. In an
nouncing that he would make his de-
cision. pro or con. next wesk about
getting into the fight. did not fndi-
cate which choice he is likely to
! make, his friends believe he will
| throw his hat into the ring.
! Several months ago the possibility
! of Hill as the republican nominee fol-
! the United States Senate was dis
| cussed, but he waved such a pos
! sibility aside. His position was that
| he would rather run for Congress-
! a race in which he thought the
| chances for victory were very large
| ly on his side.
| More recently. however, a very con.
; siderable sentiment has developed ir
! favor OF Hill for the Senate, and this
! sentiment has become SO pronounced
! that he Is considering the question Of
becoming a senatorial candidate.
! Should he get into the race - anG
| the probabilities are that he willis
| is believed that Mr.. Hill Immediately
will go after Senator France because
| of his treaty votes and also his vote
| on the anti-beer bill.