Evening star., 1927-10-14
CAPPER PREDICTS DRY ACTION
IN REPUBLICAN CONVENTION
Kansas Senator Holds That
Amendment and VolStead
Law Are InSeparabIe.
Believes Both Parties Will
Make Convention Move
for Enforcement.
BY ROBERT BARRY.

Senator Arthur C9pper of Kansas,
one of the militant dry leaders on the
Republican side Of the party aisle,
forecasts with certainty that the Re.
publican national convention will de-
mand enforcement OF the prohibition
law, and he declares he has mot the
slightest doubt" the Democratic ma
tional convention of 1928 will do like.
wise
The Republican party has heen the
unvarying champion of prohibition
from the first" the Senator declared.
Its record of loyalty to law and To
the Constitution is so complete that
the suggestion it might palter with
this great reform in its national as
semhly is preposterous.
Senator Capper Is so certain of the
overwhelming dry sentiment in the
Republican party that he does not
hesitate TO say that if the issue of
modification. either or the eighteenth
amendment or of the Nolstead act,
which he holds to he enc and the
same. were TO he raised on the floor
Of the Republican convention. il
would he voted down by aCclamation
without the formality of roll call.
"Furty.fiVe of the forty-eight States
deliberately ratified national prohibi-
ton in the manner prescribed by law"
he said "and even the most conten.
tious wet must admit that fully three
fuurthS Of the States are uncompro-
misinglv for the eighteenth amend
ment and the NolStead act and its
enforcement.
Then YOU do not believe prohibi.
ton is a partisan or political issue, or
likely to be-
The West is overwhelmingly for
prohibition" Senator Capper said.
prohibition is not party issue in the
West and cannot be made one.
doubt if it can be in the South The
sentiment of a comparatively few wet
delegates from few States will not
influence the action of the Republican
national convention. Nor have ] the
slightest doubt that the Democratic
national convention will demand the
enforcement of the prohibition law"
Calls Vets Insincere.
And declaration for modification
or repeal is not likely, III your
opinion"
1T is not suggested. as ! understand
the matter. that repeal of the eight
eenth amendment or its modification
be made IN issue. but only the modifi-
tdllOn or the Tepeal OF It's enforce
nlent. That shows the insincerity of
the wet ObjeCtors.
Modification of the enforcement
means no enforcement. The eight.
eenth amendment prohibits using in
toXicants for beverages. The Volstead
act simply translates the amendment
into statutory law. The Nolstead act
is the eighteenth amendment. and the
eighteenth amendment is the Voistead
act. They cannot be separated.
Anybody opposed to the Volstead
act is necessarily opposed TO the
amendment. The proposed modifca-
tion of the Nolstead act is merely
subterfuse for notification of the
amendment. This is perfectly we'll
known to wet and dry leaders alike.
The fact cannot be camoufiaged."
Asked to estimate the possible wet
strength in the next Republican con-
vention. Senator Capper replied:
Modiicationists and compromisers
on question that is incapable of com
promise or Of modification will he in
such minority in the Eopublican na