The daily times., 1922-02-28
LIGHT WINES WILL
PROBABLY Be NON
PARTISAN ISSUE
CITIES WANT BEER
The Issue Will be Of Gigantic
Importance in the Fall Elec-
tions and Republicans Have
More to Fear Fron It Than
the Democrats; Bigger Il.
sues Have Retreated.
(By David Lawrence.)
copyright 1922 by The Daily


Washington, Feb. 27.-Wiu light
wines and beer be an issue in the
congressional campaign this autumn?
The view at both Republican and
Democratic National headquarters as
outlined to this correspondent today
is that neither party will make an is
sue of it but that it may become of
vital importance in certain localities.
The American Federation of Labor in
| it's appeal for the election of mem
bers of Congress who will vote for
light wines and beer as their "inter-
pretation" of the eighteenth amend
ment does not name either political
party as the medium through which
change can be effected. And if the
prohibition laws ever are revised the
chances are the vote will be bi-par-
tisan.
| AS analyzed by the political leaders
here, the cities and Industrial centers
are interested in seeing the sale of
light wines and beer made legal
whilst the country districts are just
the opposite.
| Usually cities and Industrial cen
ters in the North are strongly Demo
cratic and also "wet" In recognition
of this sentiment, Republicans who
sought election in larger city dis
tricts as for instance in Baltimore and
Philadelphia have openly favored
light wines and beer.
The canvass by both political head
lquarters and here shows that the
lagitation for light wines and beer is
lspotty. It ebbs and flows. In some
localities it is acute while in others
it is considered a dead question poll
tically.
i Despite the announcement of the
intention of the American Federation
. lof Labor to wage an active campaign
jfor light wines mad beer, neither
democratic nor Republican leader:
believe the fight will become nation
wide OF course no one can tell wha
, the issues will be in the primarie:
, and the experience of politicians il
that in a congressional election al
accumulation of discomfort has it's eff
feet in producing changes.
If the light wines and beer agita
tion should grow, the Republican
thave more to fear from it than tn
democrats. For this is the first con
& ,gressional election since nationa
T.; ipfo off x1yIi oh
not overshadowed by the war or
presidential election. It affords tn
voters the first opportunity to cente
= their thoughts on prohibition alon
if they desire. AS the American Fed
leratiOn of Labor points out there
Ito be no effort to repeal the eighteen
e lth amendment to the constitution
d THAT would be too laborious an
y lengthy a process. But Congress doe
o have the power to interpret what
l. land what is not intoxicating with
g the meaning of the eighteenth amend
e ment. The Supreme Court of the I'm
e. ted States has said SO. If the Amer
IF can people, therefore, went to eles
D. to raise the alcoholic content fro1
lone half of one per cent to two pc
ly |eent or two and three quarters Pc
is cent, a simple majority of Congre'
lie can achieve the desired result fl
lg them without the necessity of submit
I'D ting any change in the constitute
at to the several states.
lie 1t so happens that in the landslit
al for President Harding in 1920, mai
districts normally Democratic elect'
Republicans to Congress. The Dem
Icratic candidates from the city di
I (tricts probably will make effective u
ii of the prohibition question nd W
sh point to the record of the Repub
.Gcntinued on Page Eisft.)
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