Evening star., 1923-05-16
tet.:g.. ~. '-:':s -.
Politics at.:Large
N n. o. MESSENGER

President Harding 10 now busy over
plans fors his trip to Alaska and in
termediate stops for the delivery Of
speeches. and 10 ticking counsel with
his advisers. voluntary and otherwise.
as to the. subjects to be discussed.
The practical politicians Are urging
him to '1ay OFF, the world court.
while he has exactly the opposite ad-
vice from Others. m his ohQiar family,
The republican national committee
Is understood to be particularly So
tho international court Of Justice to
any. extent, and the opinion prevails
AMONG many Of the committeeman,
that he will not make It an issue. but
Will adhere to his position recently
made known that he has submitted
now up to them. -,
~
Pity the woes Of a poor governor
who is between the devil and the
deep set"--to wit. Cow Alfred e.
Smith of New York. 1T is all about
making his decision whether to sign
the, legislature OF his state which
would repeal the existing state law
for enforcement OF the Volste6d act.
The governor has been at Atlantic
City recreating since the adjournment
OF the legislature and last Monday
started back to New York to hold a
series of conferences with his ad-,
vfsers over the course he shall fol-
low in approval Or disapproval OF
the repeal bill. Some one suggested
to him that he, would be making the
most important decision Of his career:
about that, but / do know I'll be
damned II / do and damned If don't"
The governors return to New York
earlier than he had expected was said
to be a desire to conult with Boss
Murphy of Tammany Hail. and get
the last word from that hard boiled
politician before he proceeds to AL
bany to hold public hearings on the
repeal bill. Two conflicting reports
OF the governors final intention are
urged with equal visor by their re-
clares positively that the governor
intends to veto. the bill The other
contends that at the last moment he
win be swepto his feet by the ques-
tion OF the moral effect upon the
state. and indeed upon the country.
of signing the repeal act, and will
not affix his signature. Thus far ne
has refrained from disclosing his in
tention in the premises 80 as not to
seem to pretudge the hearing. -
~
That public hearing promises to be
an epoch making occasion. 1t will be
attended by a notable array of coun-
sci and laynen from both the wet
and dry camps, not only from New
York, but other statea-.. President
Samuel Gompers OF the Federation of
Labor will be prominent in the wet
delegation. Former Senator Joe
Bailey of Texas is to be available
when needed. There Is some talk of
william j. Bryan heading the drys.
Politicians in speculating upon
Gov. Smiths final action point out
the embarrassmentS which surround
him. Personally. he 'is known to.
favor repeal Of the enforcement act.
peat through the platform Of the
party upon which. he ran, and by
which he undoubtedly received thou
SANDS OF votes, republicans among
them, which he would not have other
wise been given. To veto the act for
easily be construed as failing to take
hurdle up to which he had been
riding since the last summer ana fall
campaign and throughout the session
of the legislature. The repeal bill
would be considered as good enough
to get votes on. but not desirable to
be enacted
On. the other hand. is the undeniable
pressure Of public opinion. both state
and national. urging him not to make
the law of Congress such as will in
evitably. follow the abstsptinn-- of the
state government from state enforce
ment or tie federal act. and placing
upon the government a burden which
u. eAanot carry: Many Of the gov.
he vetoes the repeal bill he will be-
come a national figure. At that, the
majority opinion in New York Is said
to be that he will sign.
Those friends of-the governor who
harbor the hope that he ma, become
a candidate for THE democratic presf-'
Dental. nomination in 1924 despite
the objections which some Of the
democratic politicians apprehend
would be. raised against him on re-
that he might as well cash in AL ex-
pectations Of being elected and quit
the game at once if he signs the re-
peal bill; that the majority sentiment
of the country is dry. and that the
statewide violation of law in New
York which they predict would fol-
low the repeal Of the act would con-
stitute "horrid example" that would
shock the moral sense of the nation
and preach sermon on prohibition
calculated to kill any presidential
candidate running on a wet or non
in New York agree that the moment
repeal: of the state enforcement act
becomes effective the bride will be
off in the empire state and that a
saturnalia Of Illicit liquor selling will
set in. Cabarets. restaurants and
other dealers are described az ALREADY
laying in. stocks in anticipation of a
big rush. and getting ready to empty
the caches where "pre-war" goods are
stored. 49, y --
The democratic national committee
processes to see stormy days ahead
for the republicans in the attitude
of the women toward the rising costs
Of living. which democratic speakers
will lay to the republican tariff. law
Discussing the women's sugar boy
,cott, the democratic national commit
There is a political as, we'll as an
economic phase to the battle the
women of the country have begun
against their exploiters. They are
no longer merely housewives and
stewards of the home.
able. and ready to take care of them
selves and their interests. 1t is
doubtful If a-boycott by housewives
would have been very effective but a
strike of. women voters who can
give or withhold their ballots next
year according as the republican ad-
ministration grants or denies its CO.
operation is a wholly different
matter" -,
Discussing President Har6ins's
forthcoming trip, the committee state
ments says that if the price Of sugar
remains at 10h cents a pound or goes
higher the President will md thou
sands OF women facing him with the
question. What are you going to do
to stop this proflteering in sugar."