The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-11-04
Wet AND DRY LEADERS BOTH CLAIM
T0RY-CHANCES IN VOLSTEAD ACT
Will BE SOUGHT in NEXT CONGRESS
Election Results Indicate De-
sire For Modification Says
Wet AdvOcate-'EncOurage.
ing Drift in Public Senti.
ment From Wet to Dry
Side Seen by Anti-SalOOn
League Official

washington. Nov. 4.--tA)-Thc
usual haze inherent in prohibition as
u political issue elouded the outcome
~ tuesdays elections with the result
that victory was claimed today by
leaders OF both wet and dry forces.
The election. in the opinion of
Senator Edge. Republican,, New Jer-
sey, and wet leader, Should insure
Volstead Act revision within consti-
tutional limits" but Wayne B. Wheel
er, general counsel Of the Anti-Sa-
loon League, declared that "in every
state where the drys had a fighting
chance. except Massachusetts. they
won in the senatorial contests. ac-
cording to reports received at our
headquarters"
"From every significant angle Of
approach" said w. II. Stayton. ma
tional chairman Of the Association
Against the Prohibition Amendment.
the results may fairly be considered
to constitute an unqualified victory
for the advocates of a substitution Of
sane regularity liquor laws for the
prohibitory 18th amendment and the
vicious Volstead Act
Vets Elect 3 of IS Senators
One fourth of the population of
the United States registered them
selves as favoring modification Of the
present liquor laws" added Mr.. Stay
ton, but Mr.. Wheeler retorted that
the vets got only nine Of the IS
senators elected" and that "over 800
members of the house with dry rec
ords 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
what liquor is intoxicating as "a
mandate to me to try at once to get
modification of the Volstead law"
Arthur J. Davis, state superintend-
/ ent Of the Anti-Saloon League, how
ever, declared that Justice Wagner's
defeat Of Senator James w. Wads-
worth, Jr., Republican chairman OF
the powerful steering 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
filch liquor votes from Tammany
Hail."
Brennan's Defeat Crimps Vets Plans
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 ane
dripping wet" had "blocked We,
strategy and put a crimp in their ma.
tional plans for several years te
come"
The result Of the Illinois referen,
dunn on the same issue as that pre-.
sented in New York showed, in the
opinion Of Mr.. Stafford, "a surpris
ing and encouraging drift in public
sentiment from the wet to the dr.,
side" The majority given the af
firmative in that referendum, in the
opinion OF Mr.. Brennan, made it i'm
perative "Mr. Smith or whoever goei
to Washington next term must ODE,
the will Of the people Of Illinois ane
work for the modification Of th'
Volstead act" The wet and DR.,
question, he added, may be the su
ventions, and he voiced his determin
alton to continue :.the fight agains
the volstead law"
i Results In Other States
/ In California the voters apparentl,
approved the repeal Of the STATE
Wright prohibition enforcement law
while in Wisconsin they voted il
favor Of beer containing ct least 2.7l
per cent alcohol. Nevada voters fav
ored the calling Of . constitutions
convention to modify the 18th amend
ment and also decided in the affirm
atige on the question @is prohibition
4 failure :"
i Montana. home Of Senator Thoma.
/ j. walsh, Democrat, one Of the notes
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