Evening star., 1926-11-04
VETS AND DRYS
BOTH HAIL VICTORY
Election Calls for Prohibition
Revision, Says Edge.
Wheeler Denies 1t.

By the Associated Press.
The usual haze inherent in prehibi.
ton as a political issue clouded the
outcome In Tuesdays elections with
the result that. victory was claimed
today by leaders Of both wet and dry
forces.
The election, in the opinion of SEN
ator Edge, Republican, New Jersey,
and wet leader, should insure Vol
stead act revision within constitu-
tional limits" but Wayne B. Wheeler,
general counsel of the Anti-Saloon
League, declared that "in every State
where the drys had fighting chance,
except Massachusetts,, they won in
the senatorial contests, according to
reports received at our headquarters.
From every significant angle of
approach said w. H. Stayton, ma
tional chairman of the Association
Against the Prohibition Amendment,
the results may fairly be considered
o constitute unqualified victories for
the advocates Of q substitution of
sane regulatory liquor laws for the
prohibition eighteenth amendment
and the vicious Volstead act"
Wheeler Challenges Claim.
One.fourth of the population of the
United States registered themselves
as faVorlng modification of the pres.
ent liquor laws" added Mr.. Stayton,
but Mr.. Wheeler retorted that 1.-The
vets got only of the 35 Senators
elected" and that over 800 members
of the House with dry records or
pronouncements have been elected
In New York State Senator-elect
Wagner, Democrat, said he regarded
his election and the result Of the
State referendum on the question OF
giving States the right to determine
what liquor is intoxicating as "a man.
date to me to try at once to get mod
ification of the Volstead law"
Arthur j. Davis, State superin-
tendent of the Anti-Saloon League,
however. declared that Justice Wag-
ner's defeat Of Senator James w.
Wadsworth, jr., Republican chairman
OF the powerful stering and military
affairs committees, was a great and
far-reaching victory" for the Anti
Saloon League.
THE. Republican party in New
York." he added, ''can no longer bore
from within in order to try to fight
liquor votes from Tammany Hall"
A similar situation arose with like
conflicting statements in Illinois,
where George B. Stafford. State super
intendent of the Anti.Saloon League,
said the defeat of George e. Brennan,
Democratic senatorial nominee and
dripping wet" had "blocked wet
strategy and put a crimp in their ma
ticnal plans for several years to
come"
The result Of the Illinois referendum
on the same issue as that presented
in New York showed, in the opinion
of Mr.. Stafford, "a surprising and
encouraging drift in public sentiment
from the wet to the dry side"
Brennan to Continue Fight.
The majority given the affirmative
in that referendum, in the opinion of
Mr.. Brennan. made it imperative that
"Mr. Smith, or whoever goes to Wash.
ington next term, must obey that will
Of the people of Illinois and work for
the modification of the Volstead act"
The wet and dry question, he added,
may be the supreme issue at the next
party conventions, and he voiced his
determination to continue "the fight
against the Volstead law"
In California, apparently, the voters
approved repeal of the State Wright
prohibition enforcement law, while in
Wisconsin they voted in favor of beer
containing at least 2.75 per cent
alcohol. Nevada voters favored the
calling of a constitutional convention
to modify the eighteenth amendment,
and also decided in the affirmative on
the question, "Is prohibition a fail
ure?"
Montana, home Of Senator Thomas
J. Walsh, Democrat, one of the noted
drys in the Senate, appears to have
voted to repeal the State dry laws.
but Missouri voters followed the
counsel Of Senator James A. Reed.
Democrat and liberal, and defeated a
referendum question which sought the
repeal Of all State liquor laws. Colo
RADIO voters likewise defeated a pro.
posal to repeal present State enforce
ment laws.