Evening star., 1927-09-25

Solid South State, Is genuine
partisan. lie prefaced his replies to
| series of questions bearing on the
| Democratic problem in the 1913 cam
paign with the admonition that ne
could undertake to speak only LOT
| himself. His views were obtained
! after he had completed an extensive
! tour of his own State.
Senator Robinson wished 1t under
| stood clearly he would not attempt 10
! have his position as spokesman of ms
| party on the Senate floor confused
with any expression of his personal
views or judgment.
Many with Him. He Thinks,
II do not profess to have authority
to define the views Of any one but my
self on this question" Senator Robin
son said. adding, although | am con
vinCed that a large number of Demo-
Gratis. including some who are promi'
nent in public life, are in accord with
this statement.
II do not favor any proposal to
make prohibition the predominant
issue in the next Democratic national
convention. Any attempt to do so will
acCentuate and emphasize faction
aism.
1T is just this thing, in various
forms, which has heretofore caused
defeat when our party should have
succeeded. Democrats have always
been divided on prohibition. Who can
recall any campaign in which a con-
trary condition was disclosed?
1.-The prohibition issue would split
our party into fragments and result in
the loss, or threaten the loss, of cleo
toral votes in several States generally
recognized As Democratic
There is not a Southern State
which will not become doubtful If the
Democrats make or recognize prohl-
hition as the predominant issue. on
such a platform the party could not
hope to carry the country.
Democrats are in accord respecting
such subject matter for reform as cor
rupt practices in elections. the repeal
Of vcX8tiCus and unnecessary taxes,
reforms in the tariff, the promotion of
farm relief and other economic meas
ures but it would he difficult to de-
gree approaching impossibility to OBJ
tain anything like harmony on the
subject of prohibition.
"Diststrous," Says Robinson.
"My judgment is it would be dsas.
trOus to the party and to the welfare
of the country to attempt to convert
the Democratic party into either a
prohibition or an anti-prohibition
party.
There are m re dry Democrats
than wet Demo rats.
There are more dry States than
wet States.
Looking at the subject from the
standpoint of strategy. for the Demo
cra's to make prohibition the issue
would be to invite certain defeat.
However much hyster:a fanaticism
and hypocrisy may be displayed by
some respecting this question, the fact
remains that in probably more than
35 States sentiment is overwhelmingly
in favor Of the continuance of the pro-
hibition amendment and of laws for
it's good, faithful enforcement.
THE fact that one believes the pol
icy underlying such laws to be un-
sound should not initiate against him
as a Democratic candidate if the obli-
cation to enforce the law while it
exists is recognized and assumed
IT is not always possible to re-
strict campaign issues to those 'eX-
pressly embraced in platforms, for
voters are influenced by the well
known views of the nominees, not
withstandins platform declarations.
THE extent to which the personal
views of a candidate would attract or
repel support depends on the reputa.
tion of the candidate for sincerity and
good faith and the bias or prejudice
of the voters.
Personal Views Inimaterial.
with this qualification in mind, it
would seem that if the Democrats
elect to go to the country on other
issues, the personal views of the can
didate would become largely imma-
terial
Undoubtedly in certain localities,
particularly within five or six States,
prohibition is an issue in the sense
that it is subject concerning which
the public is so greatly interested and
divided that the agitation will con.
tinue.
"In these States and localities 1t is
not possible to anticipate how much
regard will be had for the personal
attitude of the party nominee toward
prohibition. The tendency would be
for those opposed to prohibition to
vote for the candidate whose personal
views are out of sympathy with the
policy underlying prohibition, and for
the 'drys' to vote for a candidate
known to believe in prohibition, even
though the candidate recognizes great
difficulties in its enforcement.
Speaking broadly of the future
my opinion is that the prohibition
amendment will continue in force,
and that while the Nolstead act will
be amended is so far as it proves on.
pressive or impracticable. violations
of the prohibition law will diminish
and enforcement will grow more ef-
fective. A political party committed
to the repeal of prohibition would not
long survive"
lCopyrght. 1927. ny the North American
Newspaper Alliance
Mixed bathing has just been permit
ted in the public baths at Paisley,