Evening star., 1927-10-17
G. O.P. PLANK TO BE DRIER
THAN DEMOCRATIC, FESS SAYS
Sharp Distinction Without
Radical Difference Seen
by Ohio Senator.
There Will Be No Outstanding
Issue on Any Question,
He Declares.
BY ROBERT BARRY.

! There will be a sharp distinction
without a radical difference in the
prohibition planks of the Democratic
and Republican national conventions
Of 1928.
So predicts Senator Simeon D. Fess,
Republican dry of Ohio.
Neither of the major parties Will
declare against law enforcement"
Senator Fess explained. Neither
will indulge in any pronouncement
for modification or repeal of the
eighteenth amendment nor of the
Volstead act. No party could do
either of those things and expect to
survive"
'"Then where enters the sharp dis
| tinction?"
"Just here" the Senator replied.
II am quite confident that both par
ties will declare for enforcement of
the Constitution and the statutes
The Republican party will go father
in that respect than the Democratic.
BY that / mean it is a certainty the
Democrats will have to declare for
law enforcement. That would be in
tended to satisfy the drys. 1t would
enable a wet Democrat, such as Gov.
Smith of New York, to accept such
a platform declaration, because no
presidency without pledging himself
to enforce the law of the land.
G. O. p. Platform Drier.
"The Republican platform undoubt-
edly will be more progressively assert
i've in it's prohibition plank. That is
to say it will go beyond some mere
declaration for law enforcement. Our
party has been progressively dry fC-
many years. Our 1928 declaration WI
be intended to carry us step farther
In the cause of national temperance"
"How would you think the Republic
ans might express that sentiment?"
was asked. ''Would there be a speci-
fic Endorsement of the Volstead act?'
IL am inclined to believe there will
be specific mention of the eighteenth
amendment" Senator Fess declared
II believe the party will reaffirm its
dedication to the promotion of temper
ance even to the extent of so indors-
ing the principles of the eighteenth
amendment, mentioning that amend
ment by name, as to remove any pos
sible suggestion that the Republican
party advocates it's repeal or its modi-
fication or it's notification.
whether there is to be specific
mention of enforcing statutes, as, for
instance, the Volstead act, I am not
prepared to say, but there is no re-
mote possibility of any weasel words
which might be interpreted as favor
ing a modification Of that or any other
enforcing statute. The party will in
dicate clearly its purpose to obtain
more effective temperance"
DO you mean amendment Of the
Volstead act so as to tighten some of
its provisions, or progressive devel-
opment of administrative machinery
to render existing provisions more
effective?" the reporter wished to
know.
Senator Fess responded quickly that
the Republican platform would COM
NIT the party to the latter proposition.
Pledge to Tighten Law.
'It will be a pledge that the ex.
perienceS of enforcement shall be
utilized to the advantage of more
effective administration of existing
law" he said, rather than any com.
mitment to legislative action. The
representatives of the Republican
party in Congress may be relied upon
to sponsor or support such measures
as the future may disclose necessary
to the efficient administration Of the
law"
But if both parties indorse the gen.
eral principles of law enforcement un-
der the caption of Prohibition" does
not that have the effect of. destroying
prohibition as partisan or political
issue for 1928 campaign purposes?"
II do not wish to imply for a mo-
ment that I regard prohibition as a
political ISSUE" Senator Fess returned.
II believe it is settled. But the Repub.
lican party, having taken the lead in
the temperance movement, is going to
continue in the vanguard Of progress
in that sphere of politics.
I'm essence, am confident the plat
forms of both major parties will he for
law enforcement, and | am eqEally
confident that whatever the precise
phraseology engaged by the platform