New Britain herald., 1928-08-23
Eressmen elected continue to remain

Eressmen elected continue to remain
az dry as they have been Pres
ident Smith" will have done his
duty as he sees it and Congress will
have failed to take the necessary
action. The chief outlook for the
future as regards prohibition if
Smith is elected remains with the
duly elected representatives Of the
people in Congress and with the
state legislatures. That does not
sound as il prohibition is to be upset
overnight if Smith is elected.
The governor emphasizes the fact
that he favors temperance and says
clearly the question is not one of
the return of the saloon. Rep .ting
a former declaration tina, the
saloon is and ought to be a defunct
institution in this country" he says
he meant it; and adds. Il mean it
today, will never advocate nor ap-
prove any law which directly or in
directly permits the return of the
saloon"
That statement is going to be
read and re-read by the Hoover
Democrats in the dry states.
Important indeed is the detailed
analysis that the governor himself
gives of the prohibition plan
"a la Canada which he advocates.
Such a change Tin the law would
preserve for the dry states the
benefit OF a national law that would
continue to make interstate shipment
of intoxicating beverages crime 1t
would preserve for the dry states
federal enforcement of prohibition
within their own borders. 1t would
permit to citizens OF other states a
carefully limited and controlled
method OF effectuat,ng the popular
will wholly within the borders Of
those states without the old evil of
the saloon. the solution
offer is one based upon the historic
policy Of the Democratic party, to
assure to each state its complete
right OF local self government, be
lieve it is solution which would to-
day be offered by Jefferson. or
jackson. or Cleveland. or Wilson, if
those great leaders We're with US.
The appeal in this is nationwide.
The East will regard state control as
an open door to the return Of liquor
under state control and will see un-
der such a system the adoption of
the Canadian system in most of the
eastern states: the South, enjoying
similar privileges, would remain dry:
the other states could take their
choice.
But the entire scheme hinges upon
if and when Congress changes the
law. Governor Smith merely prom
Uses to make the recommendation
He himself. as president. cannot
change the law and he admits his
impotence. The main hope OF the
VETS in considering Smith as
president, lies in that they will have
a good advocate in the White House.
He would be a President recom-
mending a change in the enforce
ment act and an amendment to the
18th Amendment. That is something
tangible to hope for; but it needs
only 10 states to block amending the
amendment, and to tinker with the
Volstead act would require a favor
able Congress.
The Smith explanation of his pro-
hibition stand will not be without
comfort to Republicans. The Hoover
men have been saying all along that
Smith could not change the prohi-
bition law; now they will say he ad
mits it. But this does not erase his
endeavors in this direction. Smith
tn fol tho Fl rCf Sfpp rt
modification and what ensues will
depend upon the vets themselves
on how many representatives. they
can elect to the Congress and to the
legislatures.