New Britain herald., 1924-06-09
AL SMITH FAVORS
 MODIFIED DRY LAW
Would LesaliZe Light Wines
 and Beer

New York, June 9.-I'or the first time since he became an avowed can didate for the democratic nomination for president, Governor Alfred E. Smith yesterday expressed himself in favor of revision of the Vostead act to allow states that were so disposed 10 legalize the sale of light wines and beer. He also said~h believed the ku kiuN klan to be contrary to the very principles upon which this country was founded"
 The governor stated his views in letter to D. Robertson Browne of New York, chairman of the Self-De- termination League of Liberty. Mir Browne had written to ask the gov ernor where he stood on the prohibi- ton question and what he thought of the reported efforts of the governors friends to prevent the insertion of an Anti-Ku klux Klan plan in the dem- ocratie platform.
 The governor said he favored hay ing congress fix a. minimum of alco- 'ipiiN 1oiiiNil 'ooGu upOH kCltlGe ana sound reasoning" allowing each state 10 establish for itself whatever alco- holic content it chose so long as it did not oyerstep the limit set in the hational law.
 The clause making one-half of one per cent the legal maximum of alco- holic content, the governor said, was written into the Volstead act by the Anti-Saloon league agents, to whom I referred as fanatical drys.' have not changed my attitude towards them any more than I have towards the fanatical vets"
 Present Attitude Hypocritical
 T maintain that the present hypo- critical attitude towards the whole question of prohibition ,woula be greatly relieved" wrote the governor, by having congress fix maximum alcoholic content based upon science and sound reasoning, thereafter leav- ing every state 10 enact any statute it pleases with regard to regulation of the traffic in light wines and beer with that alcoholic content, 90 that the state that desires strict prohibition may have 1t, and the state that de- sires light wines and beer within the alcoholic content prescribed by con- gress may also have what it desires.
 "A reasonable and practicable change in the Volstead law which would honestly serve the cause of temperance would make a valuable contribution to public action against hard liquor, which is undoubtedly put under the ban by the language of the eighteenth amendment
 "Of course you understand that this Is the expression of my individual opinion, any amendment to the sta tutes can be made only by the people themselves through their elected rep- resentatiyes in the congress of the United States.
 By the People
 "fhe amount of light wines and beer to be sold in states that chose to lsgalize the traffic, as well as The manner and media Of their sIe, ! should be left to the states them selves" said the governor. "rhe state might well say that it could be sold only for consumption in the home, or lt might well say it would be sold only in properly regulated hotels and res- tsurants. The New York state act of 1920 (which permitted the sale Of beverages of 2.75 pes cent. Of alco- holic content) was very strong in its language as 10 the places where wine and beer could be sold and made im- possible the opening Of the saloon"
 saloon Has Gone Forever
 Whatever alcoholic strength is made legal in future, the saloon has gone for good. the governor believes. He referred to a memorandum that he issued when he signed the bill re- pealing the "Mullan-Gage act" the New York state prohibition law which the lines of the yolstead act, and added: "T repeat the declaration therein made that the saloon is and ought 10 he a defunct institution in 1, tbis country. never expect 10 see it ' again.
 Away. For Law Enforcement The governor asserted he had al- ways favored strict enforcement Of all laws, and that he had obtained last uinter a substantial increase in the state police force 10 suppress viola Hons of the volstead act He said he bad made clear in the Muilan-Gage -scfz, ora rfatYV, hta daforvni affof, fo am