Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-29
Politics at Large
BY G.. Couid Lincoln.

| dryS-reprcScntcd at the MayflOWcr
| conference here yesterday. is to prevent
| the nomination of wet for the prcSi-
the nomination of a Republican who
will vigorously enforce the prohibition
laws" No one expects the Republicans
to nominate wet. Nor will they. But
the dryS want Republican who will
render more than lip service. They want
q Republican who will make It prin-
| Cipal business of the Government, II
not the principal business, to dry up
the United States.
To these ends the drys plan to force
into the party platforms of both Re-
publicanS and Democrats plank which
shall specifically declare for the rigid
enforcement of the prohibition law, and
to compel both party conventions to
select candidates for the presidency
satisfactory to the drys
The vets have been jubilant in recent
months over the prospect Of the NOM
ination of Gov. Alfred E. Smith of
| New York as the Democratic candidate
for President. They have held up Smith
as threat to the Republicans Of the
| EISJclI SoGttcS, StthHlb W COillptl Ljltiii
| to black on their ticket a wet, or at
least a damp in order to withstand
Smith.
The dry sentiment Of the country,
however, is rallying to meet the situa-
ton, as evidenced in the conference
here yesterday. The drys have shown
no little ability in the field of practical
politics in the past. and they are likely
to do so again They do not mean TO
take the nomination of Smith lying
down, nor do they propose that the
Republicans shall name candidate who
Is not definitely committed to rigid en-
forcement of the dry laws.
Not the least interesting in the wet
and dry situation is the call for n con-
ference of southern drys to meet in ST
Petersburg. Fla, next MONTH under
the direction Of the Anti-SaloOn League
Nine States south of the Mason and
Dixon line will be represented at the
conference The Southern drys are
particularly iusistent that Al Smith
shall not be the nominee of the Demo-
cratic national convention. nor Senator
Reed of Missouri. nor Gov Richie of
Maryland, for that matter. The South
crn dryS are practically all Democrats.
They realize what the nomination of a
wet would mean to their States They
would be faced with the support of n
wet or n break with the Democratic
party. These alternatives. both Of which
are diStasteful 10 the Southern drys,
have led to- the report that if AL Smith
or another wet cannot be halted in the
| houston convention, the Southern
Democratic drys may put into tho field
an independent Democratic ticket
Il
Such an indep- ndent ticket might
play hob with the Democratic party
Party leaders in the South express the
opinion that an independent ticket
would not succeed, but that the voters
| would carry the States for AL Smith
for example. If he were nominated. But
the women and the churchmen take a
different view. The threat of an indie
pendent dry Democratic ticket. If made
with show OF strength to back it up
| may yet give the party leaders pause
| in the Houston convention. Suppose
that such ticket were placed III the
field, with Al Smith as the Democratic
nominee for President And suppose
the feeling in the South ran so strong
| ly~and there is no doubt about the
strong feeling against Smith for three
| reasonS-that the States OF the solid
South were carried by an independent
Smith? The same independent dry
ticket put up by the Democrats would
| likely lose the governor Democratic
votes In the States OF the North. East
and West II Is conceivable that he
might fail TO carry a single State of the
Union. under such conditions.
The dryS are reSourceful. They may
be accused. and probably will be &C.
cused. Of seeking TO disrupt the Demo
cratic party. But they. on the other
hand. will charge that the Democrats
Of the North and East are the real dis
rupters OF the party when they seek
! To force upon the South the nominal
ton Of man who is diStaSteful 10 the
people OF that region.
The country. take It by and large
is normally Republican, II this were
not the case, more Democratic victories
| would have been registered in the last
30 or 40 years, II Al Smith is to lead
The Democratic party 10 victory. II
seems only reasonable 10 say that hc
must have united party behind him
and that he will appeal TO enough
Republicans and independent voters &c
swing the balance in his favor. What
assurance is there that Smith will have
a united party back OF him? II there
Is any assurance In the present mixed
situation. II is that he Will not have
Il united Democracy back OF him. The
country Is overwhelmingly Protestant
and there Is no reason yet 10 believe
that II is not strongly dry, politically
nj least. The opposition 10 the nomi-
| nation OF Smith, which has been Crop
iig In the dark In the last few months.
! Is likely 10 become stronger and strong
cr as the Houston convention ap-
| proachcS Such meetings aS that held
here yesterday and the coming confer
encc In Florida are likely 10 increase
the morale Of the dry Democrats and
| 70 send them into the national conven-
tion ready to do battle with the vets,
! Gov Smith is out In front today. but
he has yet 10 be nominated
u
! The candidates at last are seeking
! the office. II would appear. or perhaps
! II would be more correct ~ SAY their
! friends are seeking the office for them,
| Herbert Hoover. Secretary OF Commerce,
| filrd yesterday his declaration ot CAM
| didacy III the Maryland primary. the
! first to enter the state Frank =.
! lowdcn has iiled III North Dakota, and
| IL II expected that his name Will hc
| the only one IN the Republican primary
! IN that state. MIR. Hoover already has
| tiitd i'll Ohio. iov. Al Smith Stitl de-
! cliurS to make amy overt move toward
! the presidential nomination. His course
| has been Il careful avoidance Of any
/ thing that might appear like seeking
| the nomination How long can the
| New York governor continue lie can.
! OF course. remain cut ot amy state cont
! test tor delegates where the candidate
must give his consent 10 have his name
| placed on the ballots. II Will be re
/ mcmhrrrd. FOR example. that when
| Charles Evans Hughes Was nominated
| Tor President Ivy the Republicans III
| tDt6 he was n nrmhcr ot the supreme
| Court ot the United States. AMI that lie
made no faint suggestion NJ being q
| candidate before he MAS named by the