The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-07
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LuDWELL DENNY

of Public Affairs at the University
of Virginia, you are supposed to be-
gin with the shade of Thomas JEFF
ferson guiding this college which he
founded and this summer forum
of free discussion. At least that is
the way the institute orators begin.
But it is really the ghost of John
Barleycoru that dominates the
political discussions here. These
sedate redagogs, scientists, poll
ticians on vacation, and gentle
schoolmarms have it figured out
that prohibition is about the one
and only issue in this political cam
paign, for better or for worse
The Republican and Democratic
platforms arc practically the same
on all questions and indeed there
is no longer any essential difference
between the two parties as such,
says DR.. A. r. Hatton of North
western University, Evanston, Ill.
Hatton is leading the round table
and forums ON contemporary poll
tics.
Prohibition, however, has become
the big issue of the campaign,
despite the parties and the plat
forms, because the Republicans
nominated the dryest available
candidate for President and the
Democrats nominated the wettest
candidate possible, adds Hatton.
At this point the audience forgets
that it is considering this question
dispassionately in the spirit of JEFF
ferson and applauds enthusiastic
ally. You wonder whether they
are cheering for Smith or Hoover,
and decide both. Anyway they all
seem to agree that the wet and
dry issue is the only thing to vote
on this year
ATOW rises the decorous and
IN gray-haired international ex-
pert of Johns Hopkins University,
DR.. John H. Latane. He conducts
a round table on Latin-American
relations here, and is supposed to
contribute to this forum on political
parties a scholarly analysis of the
foreign policies of the two plat
forms. Latara says;
alfred E. Smith is the first po-
litical leader with courage enough
to say What we ali know in our
hearts to be true, that prohibition
enforcement is q complete failure.
More whisky is distilled in the coun-
try today than before the VOlstead
law.
Some of it is sold to Congress-
men who vote dry and drink wet.
Bootleggers are all supporting the
Republican party, which is protect
ing them and their business-one
of the largest industries in the
country today.
Hoover does not believe in pro-
hibition any more than I do"
Much applause for Latane's wet
speech and for the name of Smith.
Then the Rev. w. L. Kinsolving,
Episcopalian of Richmond, Va, is
introduced.
We get ready for the other side,
but
81 thank God for the party that
can produce an honest man like
Smith"
This is too much for the Rev. A.
w. Hoeny of New York City.
"The issue is the open Bible"
shouts Parson Hoeny. eve need a
leader to carry on the battle of
that great and noble prophet, Will
liam Jennings Bryan, and I am
here to do it. You say there is no
issue, but the Bible says put on
the whole armor of God and you
don't need armor to play a game of
ping pong"
A frail elderly woman hops up in
the audience and almost sobs that
the preacher has spoken the words
in her soul and in the hearts of
many throughout our beloved South.
YVES" says another woman in
4 the audience, I'VE have heard
too much of this man Smith. Won't
some of your learned professors on
the platform tell us about Hoover?"
Hereupon a substantial citizen in
the rear demands the privilege.
Hoover was born of poor but hon
est parents in a little town out in
Iowa"
More applause, almost as much
as for Smith.
The talk is turned to political
corruption and patronage. Hoover is
blamed for remaining silent in the
Harding Cabinet during the Teapot
Dome scandals. There is no differ
ence between that and Smiths eff
forts to gloss over the evils Of Tam
many, says some one.
Quite so, both parties are cor
rupt. but both Hoover and Smith are
honest men personally, some one
else adds. The majority seem to
agree to that.
Mark Graves, New York State
tax commissioner, admits that the
present party system is expensive
and inefficient, but you can't have
government without parties, and you
can't have parties without pat
ronage."
y
YVES, you can" answers DR..
Il James K. Pollock, University
of Michigan, who just has returned
from q years study in England.
Patronage does not keep alive the
British parties. But it is not the
two party system that is the fault
in the United States.
"The similarity of our two parties
and the lack of platform issues
merely reflects the RECOMMENDATION
and indifference of the American
people"
1T cannot agree that there is no
real diference in the two lnartu