Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-05
MARYLAND WOMEN
IS GOAL OF. c. 0. P.
Republicans to Make Dry
Law Predominant Issue
of Campaign.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BALTIMORE, August 4.--Women will
play larger part than ever before III
the presidential campaign now getting
under way In Maryland, events OF the
last week indicated.
The drive to get the Woman's vote,
led by the Republicans. already has
started in the plans being formulated TO
get all women eligible to vote, but not
registered. to do so on one of the two
. registration days that will be held
throughout the State this Fall.
In the last few years Republicans
have been more successful in getting
women to affiliate with their party. In
that respect they will have the edge on
the Democrats This does not mean
that there are more Republican women
than Democrats. but that the margin
between Democratic and Republican
men is larger than between Democratic
and Republican women.
It Is clear that the Democrats OF this
State will make prohibition the out
standing issue this year, not only in
the presidential fight, but also in the
contest for the senatorship. 1t is to
the disadvantage of the Republicans
to be forced to take the dry side Of
this fight with Baltimore's past wet ma
iorities. 1t is believed.
However, the Republican leaders have
decided TO use. as far as possible. the
women to combat the wet vote. Pro-
hibtion will be declared great moral
issue by the Republican side and an
appeal will be made to the women of
the State to uphold the present law,
in much the same manner as the APP
peals sent out by the Anti-Salocn
League, it Is understood.
Move Seen As Strategy.
On the whole. this is good Repub-
lican strategy, political observers believe.
1t will not aid the Republicans much in
Baltimore, but should bring many votes
into their columns out In the coun-
ties where many OF the rural women,
though Democratic. believe sincerely
and implicitly In the efficacy Of ma
tional prohibition.
In parts of Maryland there are men
who were born as Democrats and
whose fathers belonged to the same
party. Political loyalty to that party
is second nature to many of them. Even
though many of these men are church
members and prohibitionists. they will
refrain from voting before casting their
ballot against a Democratic nominee.
Such rule, however. does not apply
to the wives and daughters of these
men. Their clergymen have aroused
in them fighting enthusiasm for the
necessity OF keeping a wet out OF the
White House.
The majority of women in Baltimore
either are opposed 10 prohibition or are
too Indifferent to allow 1t to become
the predominant issue. A small minor
i.y of this latter class of women will
vote against Smith because he is wet.
A larger group will vote against him
because he is a Democrat.
Herbert Hoover also will attract votes
from women because OF his work dur
ing the World War as food adminis-
traitor. During that period of hysteria
and patriotism they formed an affec-
ton for him which the intervening
years have not erased
However, the woman vote will not go
as block to the Republicans. no more
than the entire male vote will go to
Smith. Thousands of women In Balti-
more City are militant vets. There are
hundreds Of them scattered throughout
the counties of the State. Some are
Republicans, but most of them will vote
for the New York governor.
Plan to Onset Wet Vote.
What has been happening in Mary
land this year will have it's counterpart
In every state In the country, Republi-
can leaders here point out The ma
tional committee apparently has real
lied the value of the woman vote in
offsetting the vet vote, and the result
has been such preparatory steps as the
denunciation of Smith made by william
Allen White last Sunday. 1t is believed
here
The Smith candidacy In this State is
making strong appeal TO wet Repuh-
licans. and many of them are expected
to vote for their first Democrat for
President this year. In this class are
large number of big business men.
The Voistead act has been their pet
aversion for years
Moreover. these men believe they may
vote for Democrat for President this
year without fear of upsetting the
gradual flow of prosperity The Demo-
cratic shift on the tariff issue has made
1t possible for this class to come into
the Democratic fold. incidentally.
these men have been voting for Gov.
Albert c.. Richie since 1919.
The appointment of John j. Raskob,
who has accumulated 500, 900 900, as
chairman of the national Democratic
committee and the Smith campaign
manager also has served to reassure
business men as to the saneness of the
Democrats In regard to prosperity
The question that will be decided In
November will be whether this Repub-
lican DETECTION will be SUFFICIENT to
make up for the DETECTION among rural
and women Democrats.