Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-27
DELAYED FOR DAY
INFRAM|NG PLANkS
Still Hope for AmicabIe Set
Elements to Keep Fights
From Floor.
JAMES L. WEST.
Associated Press stan WI ter.


HOUSTON. June 27.---Delayed a day
In getting down 10 work, the platform
committee Of the Democratic national
convention arranged today for several
hours Of public hearings on a wide
range of subjects before locking itself
I'D in Houstons public library to battle
over prohibition enforcement and other
plankS
WITH the contending clements on the
wet and dry issue still far apart on
the form of the CRY plank, opinion was
divided as 70 whether this question
eventually would find its way 10 the
convention floor and precipitate rea!
oId-fashioned Democratic fight.
Hopeful for Satisfactory Plank.
Some Of The drvS. among them Carter
Glass If Virginia. were hopeful that
they could obtain the kind OF plank
they wanted from the resolutions COM
rittee-tllat declaring for rigid enforce
fnent Of the eighteenth amendment.
Others were less optimistic. with
Josep,lus Daniels. North Carolina pub
Usher and former Secretary Of the Navy,
still determined 10 make fight III the
convention if need be.
Concededly controlling sufficient votes
i7 the convention to force into the plat
form a straight-out declaration for
general law enforcement similar TO that
Of 1924. the Smith managers were
silent as to their own wishes. It was
known. however, that they preferred 10
have all questions regarding the plat
form settled in the committee. and it
was ST ,gested that they might consent
10 a plank as arid as that adopted by
the Republicans at Kansas City.
Farm Issue Less Difficult.
Littl, difficulty was anticipated in the
framing Of a farm plank which would
prove acceptable to the delegations
from the Northwest. where agriculture
has been hardest hit in the recent years
OF depression. Several planks dealing
WITH this subject Will be proposed. but
it appeared certain that the one finally
reported to the convention would lndorse
no particular panacea for the ills Of the
country's basic industry.
The fight over prohibition will come
into the open at the committee hear
ings with spokesman for the Association
Against the Prohibition Amendment be-
ing pitted against representatives CT the
ance organizations. The vets will make
the usual demand for declaration for
repeal Of the eighteenth amendment,
while the drys viii ask for a strong en-
foreemen plank. mentioning the
amendment and the enabling laws.
Boulder Dam Problem.
The Boulder Canyon Dam fight viii
be transferred temporarily from the
door Of the Senate to the resolutions
committee. with the California delega-
ton urging adoption of plank favoring
Colorado River food control legislation
along the lines laid down IN the Swing
johnson bill. except that they would
declare for the distribution of the
waters Of the Colorado River Basin
among the several States Of that basin
Tin proportion to their legal and natu-
raArights."
Organized labor. through officials of
the American Federation Of Labor, will
ask for an anti-strike injunction plank.
for modification Of the V0lstead act to
permit 2.75 per cent beer: for rel1abiii-
tation Of the coal industry, for ratif1ca-
ton Of the child labor amendment and
for legislation dealing with many other
economic questions.
Former service men who are delegates
or aiternates TO the convention will
present planks in the interest of the
veterans similar 10 those approved by
the Republican convention and there
appeared little doubt that the platform
makers would write them into the party
declaration.