Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-06-24
PROHIBITION
Is REAL issue
MDEMPARLEY
Writer Believes Smith
To Win But With
Strict DIX. Law In
Platform Of Party

HOUSTON, June 23.-Has Norman
MACK, the veteran politician from
New York, definitely spilled the
peans, knocked over the d~ecanter and
broken ali the glasses? That's the
question that is worrying the demo-
cratic delegates here for the big con-
Vention that starts Tuesday.
Mack issued a statement Wednes-
Day afternoon to the effect that al
smith IS against prohibition. Is in ia
Q OF temperance and wants the
states to have the right to determine
the alcoholic content of their hev-
erages. Then things began 10 happen.
George p. Van Nance, Smiths cam
paign manager, issued q hot state
ment as DON as he saw the Mack ef-
fusion, denying that anyone in Hous-
ton had a right to speak for Smith.
Mack realized. too, that he had said
the wrong thing, or at least said il
In the wrong place, and he backed up.
explaining that he was expressing
only his personal sentiments.
But the politicians are now wonder
ing how much damage has been done
to Smiths cause. They know there
Is some damage, and their chief hope
IS that the convention will be over
before the reaction gets full force.
Women are going to play a bigger
part IN this convention than any in
the history of the country before.
They are gathering here in large
numbers from all over the country.
n the Houston women are prepar-
ing to furnish the gallery, provided
they can get in the auditorium, and
it will be a noisy gallery.
Tho corvutfr~n Inul--~ -
TO talk about farm relief, flood con-
troll, low tariffs and other such eco
nomic matters. and skip lightly over
prohibition with Just a platform
plank demanding the enforcement of
all laws. But they will never get
away that easy. Each kind and form
OF prohibition organization Is repre-
sented in Houston. some by their paid
secretaries and officers and others BY
volunteer workers, and all are going
TO make a lot of noise-so much
noise. in fact, that prohibition is
likely to become the biggest issue Of
the convention. Certainly il will be
the noisiest issue.
Despite all the noise. however, IL
seems almost certain three days be-
fore the convention opens that Al
Smith will be nominated by the
fourth ballot, with the possibility of
his being named on the first ballot,
Few of the observers here doubt that
probability.
It is still impossible for anybody
to tell with mathematical certainty
what will be the result of the first
ballot although il is likely, that the
result can be foretolcl a few hours
before the voting ~stslrts. BY that
time the various camp align managers
will know how every vote in the con-
vention is going to be cast, but I'M
til all the delegates have arrived and
the various DELEGATE pms have held
their caucuses it will be impossible
TO take an accurate Poll Of the con
vention.
George Van Nance. The Smith lead
er, is content with telling the news
paper men each day that Smith will
have more than $50 votes on the
first ballot, which is within SO Of
enough 10 win. with the delegates Of
half a dozen states ready to swing 10
him when they have paid their po-
litical debts by honoring their favor
ite sons.
The first "stop Smith" coalition
got under way yesterday when the
Reed forces began flirting with the
dry women delegates The women
are not for Reed, but they hope II
they can encourage the Missouri
senator to stay in. as the strongest
anti-Smith candidate. for at least Is
ballots. il will have successfully block
ed Smiths nomination, and then they
can turn TO a dry candidate. On the
other hand. the Reed forces are
anxious for the support Of the dry
women in the hope that IL they can
hold out for Is ballots they can
eventually put their candidate over.