Evening star., 1928-10-20

escape it. and this record they offer
as a guarantee of what is going to
happen in the next four years. The
poor, weak, vacillating, broken down
Republican machine is unable to offer
a constructive suggestion for the relief
of the present intolerable condition
Against this I offer to the country
a constructive policy.
1 have two duties as President with
regard to prohibition. First, to enforce
the law as 1 find it. The American
public may rest assured that if take
the oath of Office as President of the
United States on the 4th of next
March I will sustain the Constitution
and the laws of this country with all
the force and all the vigor am able
duty is to advise to Congress as to
what in my opinion is in the best in
tereSt of this country.
With respect to prohibition, shall
advise an amendment to the Volstead
act that will give sane, sensible, Scien-
tlfic definition of what constitutes an
1ntoxicant. Thinking people through
out the United States are all in accord
with the fact that the present definition
is dishonest one and not in keeping
with fact or truth. I shall also
recommend an amendment to the
eighteenth amendment that will permit
a sovereign State, after an affirmative
vote of its people, to dispense alcoholic
beverages to its own inhabitants under
such regulations as will prohibit its
sale in any public place.
I predicate this recommendation upon
the JefferSonian theory of State rights.
would leave to the dry States the full
protection of the eighteenth amendment
and the Volstead act. I would, on the
other hand, where a majority of all the
people of State demanded it, allow
State to handle the question by itself
under the restrictions and safeguards
laid down in my speech of acceptance
I believe that in this way we could
make this law responsive to the will of
the people in the various States of the
country, bring back respect for law, pro-
mote the cause of real temperance and
at the same time put an end to the cor
ruption, the lawleSsneSs and the boot
Logging which have become so wide
spread in this land today.
Sees No Hope Ahead.
Time will not permit me tonight to
lay before the public the full record of
the present administration, which I am
thoroughly satisfied they would be un-
willing to accept as a guaranty Of the
way they want this Government con-
Quoted in the next four years.
The more analyZe that statement in
the Republican platform the more ]
become convinced that it is entirely and
thoroughly characteristic of the Repub-
llcan party. They never see anything
new; they never make any progress:
they never make any advance; they
never attempt to meet new conditions
they never attempt an up-to-date solu-
ton of the problems of government
React1onary to the last degree, STEPPED
In Bourbonisn-which learns nothins
and forgetS nothing-they frankly SAY
that the record of the present admin.
lstratlon IS guaranty of what may bt
expected from them in the next. That
holdS out no hope to the American peo.
pie OF a sane or sensible solution of an,
Of the problems pressing them at thi:
time.
AS 1ar as am concerned, government
should be constructive and not deStruc.
ClVe-progreSSlve, not reactionary. an
entlrely unwilling to accept the ole
order of things as the best unless anc
until become convinced that it car
not be made better.
This l stated in my speech of accent.
ance, and 1t sums up in a few word:
my attitude to the progressive reform.
tnat l think must be adopted in the in.
terest OF progressive government. Ths
republican party disagrees with thu
Democratic platform and disagrees witt
my declaration and frankly says to thu
American people: Nothing new; nothins
wiz happen; look forward to no progress:
in government; look for no betternnen1
OF conditions as they exist, because the
record OF the last four years is all thai
you can expect in the next four if we
win"
II l understand Alright the thought oi
the American people, the Repl1blicsr
guaranty is SO far from suficient tr
meet the needs of today that the forces
OF progress in the country will rejecl
the Republican platform, the RepubIi.
can guaranty and the Republican can.
dldate and turn to the Democratic par.
ty for vigorous and progressive leader.
ship.