The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-09-07
VETS GAIN BY
WHEELER GAP
IN DRY RANKS
Prohibition Leaders Admit
No Man Is Available to
Fill Breach.
DIES ON EVE OF FIGHT
G. o. P. Expected to Display
More independence; DEM
ocrat Candidates Benefit.
BY RAY TUCKER


WASHINGTON, Sept. T. Anti
saloon League leaders frankly adj
mitted today that there was nobody
in sight to fill the great gap made
in their ranks by the death OF
Weyne B. Wheeler.
Many men were mentioned for
his office, which will be filled when
the leagues executive committee
meets here in December, but Wheel
err was more than a title.
In the decade which marked the
enactment of the present dry laws
the late general counsel was the
Saloon League, rebuking presi-
dents and cabinet members,
dragooning Congress into accepting
his program and collecting the vast
sums of money by the organization
in its fight to prevent any weaken
ing of the prohibition laws.
Symbol Of. Prohibition
Whether attacking prohibitions
enemies or encouraging the faint
hearted, Wheeler was the symbol
and head of militant prohibition.
At the time of his death, he was
engaged in making elaborate plans
for exerting his old-time influence
when the two parties assembled
next year to nominate candidates
for the presidency. the vice presl-
dency and Congress.
The irony of his death, his friends
said, was that it came at the mo-
ment he was preparing for what
he thought would be prohlbitions
hardest battle in the political arena.
He had prophesied that, if both
parties and their candidates should
be committed to no tampering with
the dry laws in the 1923 campaign,
all chance of modification of re-
peal of the Volstead act would be
very slim.
May Effect Campaign
His last official act of political
consequence was the formation OF
program designed to block the
nomination of vets by the Demo-
Gratis. Though Civ. AL Smith of
New York was his chief objective,
he was preparing literature and
outlining speech-making campaigns
with a view to building up handi-
caps for the candidacy of Senator
Reed of Missouri and Governor
Richie of Maryland.
1t was his belief that the Repub-
lican party was safe for prohibition,
but he was making plans to retain
his grip and influence among G.
o. P. State organizations and those
groups which have hand in nonli-
mating men for Congress.
On all sides it was admitted his
passing may have definite effect
on next years presidential cam
paign. With the South and West,
dry politically, showing interest in
both Smith and Reed, Wheeler's
work in reviving the old belligerent
spirit among prohibitionists of that
territory nad been cut out Tor MIN.
Republicans FESTIVE
With none to take his place, the
prospect that a wet may win the
Democratic nomination becomes
more likely. BY his death the po-
litical fortunes of men like Smith,
Reed and Ritchie have been en-
HANGED
Furthermore, Republicans who
have been FESTIVE under his grip
may betray more independence In
the future. Majorities in favor Of
more stringent prohibition laws and
against letting down some of the
regulatory barriers may not be so
easy to obtain in the next Congress.
An administration which defied
even Wheeler in ousting Roy A.
Haynes will not be ready to let his
successor obtain the control he en-