Evening star., 1923-01-31
Politics at Large
BY N. O. MESSENGER.

Ino nrSt eklrmlSn IN the titdhic
| struggle between the wet and dry
forces of the nation. which Is expect
ed to be a feature of the next ma
tional campaign, occurred in New
York Monday. The outcome was
draw, but the incident served to en-
phasize the closeness Of the fight and
the deadly earnestness of both par
ties in support of their respective
policies.
Pursuant to the recomm mendation OF
the democratic state platform that
Congress be memorialized by the state
to modify the Volstead act to permit
the use Of light wine and beer, reso-
lutions to that effect had been intro
duced simultaneously in the assembly
and the senate by the democratic
leader in each house. Monday night
the senate adopted the Walker reso-
luton by vote OF q to II. Two re-
publicans voted with the democrats.
On the same day, by a vote of 7S to
81, the assembly refused to adopt a
like resolution and referred 1t to the
judiciary committee. The Significance
is that the rising tide Of wet senti-
| ment, claimed to be extensive by the
vets, does not materialize when 1t
comes to actual legislation in the
volume asserted by them.
Many people drew the inference
from the unparalleled vote given the
democratic ticket in New York last
November that the state was over
whelmingly wet. Others, at the time
pointed out that Alfred Z. Smiths
personal popularity had great inf1u-
ence in rolling up the astonishing &
a
entered into it.
When the wet and dry issue was
separated from all others and stood
out by itself for roll call vote the
contest began to take on truer pro-
portions. 1t cannot be told at this
time what the outcome will be. AT
present deadlock exists between the
two houses of the Legislature. but the
fact remains that as long as il con-
tlnues there can be no memorial to
Congress.
Congress will have the subject be-
fore it at the next session. regardless
| OF whether 1t is brought up by any
state. The advocates of light wine
and beer had hoped that the memorial
OF the legislature of the Empire state
mi ght have been brought in before
lesson and a stimulus to the wet
forces during the interim between the
present Congress and the new one to
open next December 1t was felt that
IL would encourage wet sentiment all
over the country and possibly result
IN similar action by other legislatures
In session during this year
neither any of them do act favor
ABLY on memorials or not, there will
be bills in plenty in the bill box OF
the next House of Representatives
ana doubtless a few in the Senate on
the first day Of the next session. pro-
posing modification of the Eolstead
act, not only providing for light wine
and beer, but lessening the restric-
tlons in other ways
80 the night. which will meantime
SUN be progressing in the states. will
be echoed in the national Congress
ana eventually carried to the country
al large In the campaign of 1924 for
the presidency and senators and rep
resentatives.
If the vote in the New York Iegis-
; lature can be taken as criterion of
| party division in other states the re-
publicans will, as party. take the
dry side Of the question and the
democrats the wet. This, too, in spite
Of the belief held by many repub-
llcans that unless the party "loosens
up on the beer and wine PROPOSE
tion 1t will carry a heavy handica p
in the national elections of 1924 1t
is expected that there will be refiec-
ton of this view in the republican
national convention. although the
prevailing thought is that, despite
comes TO the actual test the ma
/ jority of the convention will support
the drys and refuse to carry in the
platform declaration for modifica-
ton of the Volstead act
Lacking a pronouncement in favor
OF beer and wine in the platform upon
| the subject, candidates for House and
Senate on the republican ticket
would be left to their individual ac-
! tion in their candidates.. Those who
| ciples before their constituencies
without party disloyalty. 1t is not
thought by leading republicans that
the national platform would in terms
decry against modification. but would
| simply remain silent.
! VIII any aspirant for the demo
; cratic nomination for the presidency
have the temerity to go before the
+! country and the primaries with an
! open declaration for beer and wine
and seek to win delegates to the
1 convention on that issue?
J Politicians are disposed to answer
that question in the negative. Sew
eral democratic possibilities will be
known to be personally favorable to
| modification, but will they have the
[ courage to announce their platform
| while they are hunting for dele
gates? 1t is pointed out that il
would be one thing for the nominee
! of a national convention which had
| put light wine and beer in it's plat
! form to stand by the platform as the
official expression of the party, but
quite another to canvass the country
as the exponent of the determine
! ton to put in such plank. He
! would have all the Bryan democrats
on his back at the outset-democrats
| who might not go to the length OF
! suggesting Mr.. Bryan as the nominee
; but who are strong believers in his
; principles.
| Any aspirant for the democratic
/ nomination must have a large follow.
| ing in the south, and the south has
| been and is in favor of prohibition as
! national policy. If the democratic
national convention declares for modi.
! 6ca fion II is IN he aynaptaI hot