Evening star., 1927-10-13
POPULAR "REVOLT" is FORESEEN
BY BUTLER IF DRY FIGHT EVADED
Columbia President Recalls
PreCe,'-7 It in Free
Sk.er Issue.
SAYS Americans to Demand
Specific Declarations
on Question.
ny ROBERT BARRY.

BY ROBERT BARRY.
| If the professional political mana
gers" seek to evade or ignore the pln,
/ hihition issue in the general elections
| of 1928, the American people will take
! the campaign out of their hends, DR.
/ Nicholas Murray Butler of New York
| has concluded after his study of the
| potential issues.
| The people will shape the campaic II
! to suit themselves" he added. refer
| ring to the abortive attempt by tha
Republicans to evade the free silver
! issue in 1896. only to have the tariff
+ issue dropped and forgotten by
! August |.
| Dr. Butler does not often find him.
| self i'm agreement with William Gibbs
! McAdoo. They are at extremes ON
most questions Of political philosophy
and practice. They are at opposite
| poles on the prohibition issue.
Demand Specific Declarations.
Yet the president of Columbia Uni,
versity speaking for the militant foes
of the eighteenth amendment, agrees
with the aggressive champion of the
dry act that irrespective Of what the
| professional politicians may do in 1928
| to compromise the prohibition issue,
! the American people viii demand
| specific declarations. Both are con
! yinced that If evasion be attempted
/ in the name of smart politics" the
| American people will decide otherwise
and override the politicians
| No candidate for the presidency will
! he permitted to he evasiVe on the issue,
| DR.. Butler, Republican wet, declares,
and Mr. McAdoo, Democratic dry.
| echoes aye"
ITO declare merely for law enforce
ment. the facts being what they are, .
| DR.. Butler added. 'is to declare for
| lawlesSneSS and for continuous and
organized assault, under official pro
! lection, upon the foundations of our
! Government"
Three Held Vital.
In response to the direct question
regarding the likelihood of an over
Mhelming ma jority of the Republican
national delegates favoring a decla =
| IA ton for enforcement of all laws,
DR. Butler declared such was the pur-
pose of the professional political
managers" but that. irrespective of
them, the American people would de-
mand something more specific from
the party nominees, either before 0f
after the conventions"
THE three matters uppermost in
the public mind" DIR. Butler said,
and whose prompt and wise settle
ment is demanded by the public in
terest. are the eighteenth amend
ment and the problems it raises, agri-
cultural relief and development and
international cooperation for the
establishment of international peace
Since all three of these matters
cut directly across the two existing
political parties and divide them
sharply, the professional politi-
cal managers and the professional
office holding class are determined
that no one of them shall be frankly
dealt with by the platform declara- :
| tions TO be made in June next, If
that can possibly be avoided.
Their interest is to elect candi-
dates to Office without raising any
important public issue If that be pos
sihle The public interest demands
the contrary course. So does political
courage and political capacity.
Liquor Question Uppermost.
$50 far as the eighteenth amend :
ment is concerned, it is uppermoss
in the minds of the voting masses in
almost every State, and no matter
what part ii is permitted to play in
| the. national conventions 1t will play
a very large part in the campaign"
Meaning"
*No candidate for the presidency
| will. be permitted to get very far,
either before or after the conven-
tions, without being called upon to
answer the question | put in my de-
bate with Senator Borah at Boston
1 L.
Federal Union established by the
Constitution or against it? Are you
for the forbidden eighteenth amend
ment, which has been forced into
that Constitution, or against it? Are
| you for the declarations of the bin
of rights or against them 2
/ DIR. Butler was asked what he
thought of a platform declaration
merely for law enforcement.
mo party and no candidate will be
permitted to hide behind pusillani
nous declaration for law enforce
ment," he said. "If by law enforce
ment is meant the just and equal en-
forcement of all laws, then the eight
eenth amendment and the Legislation
built upon it are unenforceable, since
they conflict with the Fundamental
principles of the Constitution and O
1 the bill of rights at every point. Sucl
a declaration is. the refore, fraud am
a conscious fraud.
"NOt Permit Evasion"
IF, on the other hand, by law en-
forcement is meant the enforcement
| of the eighteenth amendment and tn,
legislation built upon it regardless o
the fundamental principles of the Con
| Sfifution and all othar 1aHyS then :
declaration for law enforcement is {
declaration for lawlessness and for 6
continuous and organized assault, un
der official protection, upon the founda
tions of our Government. Let an,
candidate or any party try to conten
|