Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-09
Participants in Boston Ses-
sion Say They win Press
Views at 1923 Convention.
5000 CROWD BIG HALL;
LEAVE UNC0NvINCED
Unofficial Judges Decide, 6 to 8, in
Favor of Senator-G. o. P.
Leader on Platform.
By the Associated Press.

BOSTON, April 9. - Prohibition
loomed today as possible big issue
for the Republican National Conven.
tlon next year. Debating the question
iast night, both Senator Borah of
Idaho, dry, and DIR. Nicholas MURRAY
Butler. president of Columbia Univer.
sity, wet, said they would press their
views on the convention.
AS Senator Borah put it: 'T agree
with DIR. Butler. The fight Is on. 1t
will be presented to the American
people in the campaign of 1928"
In this connection. DR.. Butler said:
The war is on. . No candidate
for the presidency hereafter will be
permitted to avoid the issue by hid.
ing behind law enforcement"
Winner Not Decided.
Some 5000 persons who crowded
symphony Hall and uncounted thou.
! sands OF others who listened by radio
We're divided as to who won the de.
bate. There was no official decision.
but the Boston Herald, Republican.
appointed nine Republicans of state
prominence as unofficial Judges. Their
vote was to in favor of the Sena.
tor.
The Herald. in announcing It's list
OF judges, said: THE Herald carefully
refralned from asking their opinions
on the question"
1t added that it was assumed that
one OF them. President Marsh of Bos.
ton University. 'is firm believer In
prohibition" and that another, VII.
nam II. Coolidge, Boston lawyer, has
been consistent critic OF prohIbi.
tion," and continued:
Others Sympathies Not Known.
'As to the others, the Herald cannot
state with any definiteness that they
are wet or dry"
The Herald's judges were: George w.
| Coleman, president OF the Babson sta.
tistical organization; William H. Cool
ldge, nnancier, unrelated to the Presi.
dent: Frank s. Deland, corporation
counsel for the City OF Boston: Carl
Dreyfus. Boston merchant; Frank B.
Hall, attorney, formerly chairman ~
the Republican State COMMITTEES: Dan.
lei L. Marsh. president OF Boston Uni.
versity: Arthur p. Stone, Judge Of the
cambridge District Court: e. Mark
SULLIVAN, lawyer; Benjamin Loring
aoung, speaker of the State House OF
Representatives.
G. o. p. Leaders on Platform.
The debate was sponsored by the
Progressive Republican organization,
the Roosevelt Club. Inc, and counte.
nanced, even though the political issue
may not have been, by the presence on
the Platform of the chairman of the
Republican national committee. vii.
liam NJ. Butler
The disputants agreed from the first
on the evils of liquor and the saloon
ana that the present state OF enforce.
ment throughout the country was not
satisfactory. DR.. Butler, who took
the affirmative of the question.
Resolved. That the Republican ma.
tional platform in 1928 should advo-
cate the repeal Of the eighteenth
amendment, declared at the begin.
ming that their differences were not
as wet or dry" and to this his OBJ
ponent assented.
For broad summarization. Senator.
Borah contended that the amendment
was law to be enforced and obeyed
and not 70 be aba andoned, in the face
! OF the lack of suitable substitute.
until 1t had had fair trial Of rs years.
Holds Theory Altered.
DR.. Butler argued that the amend
ment was not germane to the Consti-
tuition; that it changed the theory Of
our Federal Government and that the
Quebec government control was a
far better way of correcting the evil.
The audience, judged by its applause.
was divided at the start of the debate
and divided, although more enthusi.
astically at the close. 1t was an
audience of substantially and breed.
Ing. It's few audible intersections were
all good natured, and fell chiefly to
the lot Of Senator Borah. whose
FiescT1 IL,
opportunity.
In declaring the subject a national
issue. the speakers varied somewhat
DIR. Butler said, ut Is more important
than any since the issue of slavery
and secession. 1t is primarily and
chiefly question OF government, of
the protection and perpetuity OF the
form Of government established by the
Constitution. My appeal is from the
legislative and judicial branches of the
Government to the American people to
undo the damage done and correct
that stupendous1 error"
Takes Up Three Plans.
Senator Borah urged. however, ''to
abandon prohibition now would be
to betray the principles OF the party.
1t would be criminal to break down
and disregard the Constitution. What
we HSeu Is HOL d party giving OT0erS
to retreat, but orders to advance.
The Republican and Democratic
parties may sidestep this issue, but
the people Will not"
After declaring that to abandon
the amendment without a substitute
would be to return to the old saloon
days. Mr.. Borah took up three OF the
most often suggested plans. Modi-
fication OF the Volstead act to per-
NIT light wines and beer would be
to seek to control the liquor trafffc
by giving IL IAN additional aroma"
Government control would rot out
the pillars of government in so
years"
1T would be a bureaucracy. n
bureaucracy drunk" Finally, OF State
determination. he declared, that the
dry State would have no protection
under the interstate commerce laws.
DR.. Butler chose Government con-
troll to support as his alternative.
Not control by Federal Government,
but control by the States as deter.
mined by their respective citizens"
He stated that his own careful and
impartial investigation of the opera
ton OF the Quebec liquor commission
had convinced him that that was the
ideal way to tackle the problem.
Both arguments sparkIed with
epigrams. To choose few:
Butler: I'VE have returned 60 the
saloon. only we don't see It."