Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-08
Nv The Associated Press:

| ny The Associated Press
The relative merits Of the law en-
/ forcement blanks in the Democratic
and Republican platforms were de-
bated over the radio last night by Mrs,
Franklin D. Roosevelt. head of Gov.
Smiths advisory committee for women
and Mrs. Mable Walker Willebrandt,
Assistant Attorney General In charge
of prohibition cases and Hoover sup
,,orter.
Speaking first on the Voters Serv-
ice" program of the National League
of Women Voters and the National
Broadcasting Co. Mrs. Roosevelt de-
clared that the Democratic law en-
forcement plank from her viewpoint as
dry. seemed much more specific
than the Republican plank, and that
Gov. Smith. while favoring modification
of the Volstead act. would be the first
to agree that in changing the law he is
powerleSs unless Congress agrees with
him"
Lands Hoover's Position.
Mrs Willebrandt. speaking for Hoo
yer. declared the Democratic Law en-
f0rcement plank did not go so far as
the Republican. charged that Gov,
Smith had strapped his party'S
pledge by his message to the Houston
convention and asserted Herbert Hoover
has a private life and habits of tenn
perance which square with the partys
pledge"
Mrs. Roosevelt contended that the
Republican plank made no mention Of
enforcement of the particular laws"
passed 10 put into effect the eighteenth
amendment. while the Democratic
plank pledged its nominees ito an hon.
N.A trtae u
amendment and all other portions of
pursuant to it,
Declaring the real reason why she.
as dry in practice and theory of long
standing" was heart and SOUL for
Gov. Smith had nothing TO do with
prohibition, but was based on what he
had done for New York State. Mrs.
Roosevelt said the Democratic nominee
had stated his position very clearly to
avoid any misunderstanding, while
Hoover had neglected to say how he
proposed to work out 'constructivelv
this great social and economic expert
ment."
Gov. Smith says that If elected he
will propose a modification of the Vol
stead law" she continued. Now. /
have a feeling. because the governor is
this campaign he will tell us how he
proposes to suggest to Congress that
this law shall be modified, but / am
willing to wager that no matter what
the method proposed. there will be
many protests. and whatever 1t Is the
Supreme Court has to pass on 1t be-
fore it becomes the accepted law of the
land
Outlines Smiths Aims.
IF the majority of the people in
this country really want the Volstead
law modified, the governor will succeed
perhaps in getting them to agree on
some degree of modification, and. this
being a democratic Government. the
minority must bow to the viii of the
ma iority. I happen to believe. how
ever. that the great majority in this
country think we've gone a little be-
yond a noble experiment
Now know that the governor will
try to bring about what he thinks is
right and I want to emphasize here
that the governor feels that the saloon
must never return, but let us remen-
Der that at the present time We have
fought the evils of the saloon by meth
DDS of enforcement which have con-
tributed TO the greater evils OF the boot
logger and speakeasies. :
Speaking of the Democratic platform
pledge first, Mrs. Willebrandt asked.
What matters it now what words of
promise to the American people on this
great question the Democratic party
has used since the candidate supplants
those words with phrases of his own,