Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-14
Al Smiths Frankness Praised
But Views Differ on Effect

Praise is general for the frankness
of Gov. Al Smith in telling the
League of Women Voters in New
York that while he stands for en-
| forcement of law, he also recognizes
| the right OF citizens to seek repeal OF
any existing law. But some of those
who admire the governors courage
most are doubtful about the political
| effect. and others construe the speech
as definitely alternating dry support
| for the Democratic presidential nomi-
nation.
"His speech will make It more diff
| ficult than ever" says the Baltimore
! Evening Sun independent Democratic),
for the Southern politicians to answer
certain question. to wit: How can
vote for Al Smith be made to seem
like a vote for the Anti-Saloon
League?' And, no matter what the
gentleman says about Volsteadism. he
is certain to increase the emparraSs-
ment of the South"
Mr.. Smiths stand is accepted by
the Hartford Times independent
Democratic) with the thought that it
Is now confirmed positively that If
the governor becomes a candidate for
President it will be as an unequivocal
wet, pledged to support the Constitu-
ton and the laws as 1t stands, but In
full sympathy with those, who wish
the first deleted of it's sumptuary
article and the second changed to ac-
commodate the desire of wet States
for a statute less strict and AFFORD
ing greater opportunity for legitimate
drinking" The Lincoln State Jour-
nal independent Republican, places
him definitely as 'the logical candi-
date of the wet element in the Demo-
cratic party" The Manchester Union
independent Republican, sees evil
dence that ''he is ready to see his
party pledged to an anti-prohibition
drive"
Support for the governors stand in
favor of the right to organize in
fight against prohibition is given by
the Duluth Herald independent Re-
publican), Chattanooga Times Gnde-
pendent Democratic) Trenton Evening
Times independently and st. Paul
Pioneer Press independently. The
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette independent
Republican, affirms that they would
be nullificationists who would deny
the right to make constitutional
changes" and the Milwaukee Journal
independently sees as fundamental the
doctrine that "if there is now no right
to preach amendment of the Constitu-
ton to take out prohibition. there
must never have been right to
preach amendment to put prohibi-
ton in"
Quoting the governors statement as
to the right of the people, the Louis
Vile Times independently asserts:
abraham Lincoln would have said
the same thing in the same situation.
The individual, the organization. the
newspaper which advocates repeal or
the Volstead act. and the dry amend
ment, is we'll within the right of free
citizenship
In summarizing it's view of the sit
uation, the New York Times dnde-
pendent) states: 1.-TWO chief obstacles.
and only two, have stood in the way OF
Gov. Smiths nomination for the pres
idency. One is that he is Catholic.
The other Is that he Is against pro.
hibition With both of them he has
now dealt in a way to command adj
miration for being both frank and sin
cere. Politically, this may hurt him.
Morally, it heightens his stature in the
eyes of the whole country"
He does not favor notification of
any law" observes the Chicago Daily
News unOepeHueHU, WHlcH Agrees
that 1T is the right of the free citizen
to advocate the enactment of any law
based on elementary morality or the
repeal or modification of any existing
law, and to associate himself with
others in that effort.
The Columbia Record Democratic
holds that Ibis prompt stepping down
from the fence will unquestionably
clear the political atmosphere sur
rounding at least one outstanding
presidential possibility" The Newark
Evening News independently proclaims
that '"if law. simply because 1t is a
law, cannot be adversely criticized,
there is not much democracy left"
The governor is honest in his state
ment and open in his opinions" says
the Albany Evening News dndepend-
ent Republican,, which adds: THE
governors expression regarding the
right to organize may have political
significance in the South. and may
make him stronger there, since 1t en-
courages a movement against the
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments.
Whether or not he had any political
purpose therein, the statement, never