The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-04-01
How Will Republicans Manage the
Democrats?
BY n. ID. Cochran

About the time Congress adjourned some Demo-
cratic leaders got their heads together in Washington
and solemnly decided that prohibition will not be an
issue in the next presidential campaign.
The other day Secretary Mellon bowed to the iron
will Of the AnttSaoon League lobby and appointed
Roy Haynes prohibition commissioner.
There may be connection between these
seemingly separate and it may spell trouble
for Democrats who want to dodge the prohibition
next year.
If Democratic leaders care to indulge in a little
historical research they might discover that through
the AntiSaloon League lobby the Republican strate-
g1sts have played the game of divide and conquer in
the last two presidential elections Through control
or the prohibition forces In the solid South and,
through the Ku.Klux Klan tanning into a flame of
fanatacism the intense Professionalism of the same
Democratic section. Republican srategists split the
Democratic party into warning factions, the climax
coming at Madison Square Garden in 1924.
On that memorable occasion over 800 delegates
10 the Democratic national convention practi-
caly directed by Republican politicians from a hotel
the street.
To get light recent political strategy it should
be remembered that the Anti-Saloon League was or
canned by cotere of Methodist preachers Wester-
VILE Ohio--all of whom were Republicans Through
working alliance with Harry NJ. Daugherty, the
league helped nominate and elect Harding President in
1920 Daugherty played fair and Haynes was put at
the head of the prohibition forces of the Admnstr-
tion The leagues influence was also largely nstru.
mental in putting Willis and Tess in the United States
Senate from Ohio.
Under Coolidge, Secretary Mellon side-tracked
haynes. during the Administration of General An
drews, Haynes was kept the pay roll but had little
or no authority. Now he is back on the lob stronger
imam ever and Wayne Wheeler is in the saddle
For a time it seemed as If the political mower of
the league was waning. Then last year it threw a
scare into Republican leaders by putting third candi
cate IN the field in New York and defeating Senator
Wadsworth, who had defed the league ANYHOW
When Wheeler demanded the new prohibition lob for
Haynes he got it.
IL shouldn't be surprising, then if Wheeler and
ms Ant-Saoon League lobby would now get busy
revive the demand for prohibition In the s.lId South
ana prevent the amabe purpose of Democratic leaders
TO dodge the issue But that won't be ALL One of the
pohcal forces closely allied to the league is the K
AUX hlan Both drew their strength in the South
nlosly from the Baptist and Methodist churches
ohreWd political strategy will doubtless suggest that
ese TWO forces, guided by Republican strategists get
pehlnd the same old wedge and drive it once more
between the South and the Northern and Eastern
Democrats.
announcer TACT worth remembering is that prohib-
uoH succeeded only when the fight changed from a
mural crusade 10 an economic campaign. The Eight
eehtn Amendment went when Big Business
meaning IN this case the big employer of labor nut
up the campaign fund And Big Business is generally
BACK Oh the Republican party. Certainly it is well
satlsfed with the Coolidge Administration.
Unless the Anti-Saloon League has lost its grin
on the South, Republican strategists will put the
Democratic party right back in the hole it got
into in 1920 and 1924