The Indianapolis times., 1928-07-16
Conditions DepIOrabIe, in
Opinion of Al Smith
Campaign Leader.
STATE OPTION is URGED
Plan That Will Allow Use of
Liquor in Home Is
Recommended.
BY CARL D. GROAT
United Press staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, July 16.-Gov-
ernor AL Smith definitely has de-
termined to make prohibition, or
rather prohibition modification, a
real issue in his coming campaign.
John J. Raskob Smiths cam
paign manager and chairman Of the
Democratic national committee,
made this clear in a weekend inter
view with the United Press by tel
ephone from his summer home in
Centerville, Md.
Raskob not only declared I'VE
must find some way to control the
abuse of liquor in this country. .....
so we can restore temperate life
in this country" but added that he
had not the slightest doubt that this
question is to be an issue in the
campaign.
Speaks for Himself
He declined to commit Governor
Smith to a specific program beyond
the latter's modification views
expressed in his Houston message,
but put himself on record as favor
ing a substitute for the present pro-
hibition situation.
He said he hoped that when the
change comes it will be 'The very
best plan that can be found" and
suggested the anti-saloon League
ought to assist in ending what he
termed the present abuse OF liquor.
Raskob believes in a system that
would permit home consumption OF
LIQUOR in States so desiring, under
local option.
He made this clear in letter sent
to 1900 persons before his selection
as Smiths manager, and he STANDS
by these views.
Conditions Deplorable
social conditions throughout our
country have reached a state OF
decadence that demands correc-
ton" he wrote. MY feeling is
that a scheme of control OF the
manufacture, sale, transportation
and consumption of Intoxicating
LIQUOR. under which it may be had
for home consumption and prevent
the return of the saloon, would be
welcomede by all
Supplementing these views in his
telephone interview with the United
Press, Raskob declared.
"We do not want to restore the
saloon, for that was where the abuse
of liquor arose. The Association
Against the Prohibition Amendment
of which I am a director, has been
making an exhaustive study OF the
question of substitute system, but
has not come to conclusion as to
the best plan.
Better Plan Needed
"I believe, however, that plan
very much better than the present
situation can be evolved. I believe
that we should be very careful about
our next step, and that our next
change ought to be one that will
improve conditions-the very best
plan that can be found"
The Anti-Saloon League has
aligned itself with Hoover and
against Smith, and southern Demo-
cratic drys are to meet this week
in Asheville, N. c., to organize a
campaign to elect dry Democratic
q congressman and Senators.
{ The Smith strategists apparently
kenvisaged little or no detection in
1.-THE solid South" as result OF
tsSmith's modification views. They
believe that his anti-probihition
program will prove attractive in the
East, and hold evidently that their
eastern gains will more than offset
any losses in the southern or bor-
der States.
The Hoover managers, so far,
have said only that they will meet
sthe prohibition issue if it is raised,
abut have declared they do not be-
slieve it a proper subject for political
Tklebate otherwise