Evening star., 1927-12-02
Council Demands Positive
Prohibition PIanks From
Both Parties.
DRY FORCES TO GATHER
IN CAPITAL NEXT MONTH
Huge Convention Is Called to Law
Campaign Plans-Drive Seen
Launched on Smith.

Dry forces of the nation will fight
any presidential candidate mot OUT
spokenly committed to the eighteenth
amendment and it's enforcement"
and will demand positive declara-
tions" in party platforms of both
parties stand on prohibition.
This policy, decided upon by the
National Temperance Council at the
end of a two-day meeting at the
Raleigh Hotel. was indorsed today
by the National Legislative Confer
ence. representing the 81 chief tenn
perance and reform organizations Of
the country.
The conference called a convention
of all temperance forces to meet here
next month. to lay strategic plans for
getting the desired declarations into
the platforms and to decide on the
procedure to fight the nomination or
election OF a wet candidate.
Ends Faction Dispute.
This fiat stand was regarded as
settling the dispute which had been
raging within the temperance forces
between the faction which held that
prohibition was a closed issue, and
should be left out of the presidential
campaign, and the faction which in
sisted that more stringent demands
be made on the political parties than
in the past.
1t also was regarded as marking
the beginning of the drive against the
nomination or election of Gov. Smith.
Although no names were mentioned,
the call for next months gathering
pointed out that "the first duty" of
the dry forces is ITO unite for the
defeat of wet man or a loose plank"
The resolution, passed unanimously
by the council, pointing out that "the
Nation is approaching its great period
Of political discussion and decision"
declared that 1.-The crisis in constitu.
tional government demands national
offensive"
'The friends of prohibition and law
enforcement demand positive declara!
tions in party platforms" 1t declared.
'"They will strive to defeat office seek.
ers who are either negative or silent.
Representative leaders of $4,000 900
women who have been added to the
electorate since the eighteenth amend
ment came into force, have joined In
the declaration of 5000, 900 young
people that no candidate not out
spokenly committed to the eighteenth
amendment and its enforcement can
have our support or votes
To Oppose All VETS.
1--WE call upon the American people
to repudiate all State and National
party platforms that deal only in gilt.
tering generaiities with law enforce.
ment. We will oppose and vote
against candidates in both parties
whose promise is fair and dry but
whose official performance is wet"
committee of 25 was named to
make plans for the convention next
month, which is expected to be the
most important single. gathering Of
dry forces ever held in this country.
Although the exact date has not yet
been decided. it probably will be the
first week in January.
Resolutions of the councils commit.
tee on findings. reported to the con.
ference today. declared that prohibi-
tionists would not be bound by the re.
suits of referenda. declared against
the proposition to call a Federal con.
stitutional convention. praised the
passage of the reorganization bill and
the appointments made under 1t. and
urged concerted effort to have dry
delegates elected to State and National
conventions
i HS TclcIcfluuHi TeSOlullOn QeCI3I6Q
that wherever the vets propose a
non-effective referendum which has no
binding effect and is extra-constitu-
tional. we are not bound to recognize
1t as even expressive of public senti-
ment. Newspaper votes and straw
votes are not expressive of American
determination. but the balloting for
Senator's. Representatives and all ex.
ecutives and judges is. We will not
be de-iated from real tests to partjck
pa;t ~ straw votes"
Drive on New V0terA
One challenge Immediately confront.
ing the drys. the committee emphasiz-
ed. is that of tie "15 100000 voters
that have been .dded to the life of
the Nation since the passage of the
amendment" Suggested
methods OF educating new voters in.
cluded citizenship meetings, oratorical
and essay contests and proposition
to secure the writing of an Uncle
Toms Cabin for the prohibition re-
form"
The committee urged that states
which have passed resolutions calling
for Federal constitutional conven.
ton, should have such resolutions
rescinded at the next session of their
Legislatures.
January IS was decided upon as the
day on which concerted effort will
be made to reach the people on the
question. 1t was declared
that vast neglected areas of popula.
tion. negro. foreign and the generally
was an immediate chal.
lenge.
The report said that despite propa.
ganda and much press misrepresenta.
tion. our cause has marched trium.
phantly through the years." The
passage of the reorganization bill. it
declared. eliminated the divided re-
sponsibility which existed within the
Treasury Department and took the APP
pointment of agents out of the hands
nf politicians, and made them Civil
Service matters"
The appointments of Assistant Sec
retary Seymour Lowman of the Treas
nry and Prohibition Commissioner
James NJ. Doran were described as
cases which meet the approval Of
all our forces"
List of Organizations.
Organizations represented at the
conference, which will also be repre-.
sented at the convention next month,
include:
of Catholics Favoring Pro-
Association in Support of Ma.
tional Prohibition. Board of Temper.
ance. Prohibition and Public Morals Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, Board
Of Temperance and Social Welfare OF
the Disciples of Christ, Catholic Clergy
League. Commission OF
CONTINUED on Page :, Columa 60
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