Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-05-13
AUSTIN PAPER
SAYS DRYS TO
RULE MEETING
Sees Smith AS Victor
Only If He Gives
18th Amend e
Complete Approval

AUSTIN, Tex, May i2.-The Austin
Administrators Sunday morning
will say ~editorially:
"The precinct and county eonven-
tions are over. The state convention
at Beaumont 10 imminent. Then
comes Houston. Gov. Moody will
control at Beaumont. Forty delegates
under the unit rule Will be sent to
Houston pledged to work for a dry
national platform. Endorsement Of
the eighteenth amendment by name,
and a candidate in sympathy with
such a platform. Coy. Moody, as
head of the delegation, will be named
the Texas member of the platform
committee. If the supporters of Gov,
Smith on the committee agree to en-
dorsement of the eighteenth amend
ment, the platform will be before the
convention as a unit and probably
will be passed unanimously.
IF the Smith influence declares
against any mention Ct the eigh-
teenth amendment, q minority report,
IL necessary, will 60 before the
Houston convention and the dry
forces Of the South and West will
lock horns with eastern and northern
vets on the floor Of the convention.
1.-THE governor of Texas, in the
event Of such a battle, will lead the
nations dry democrats.
''Smith is already nominated. One
ballot only will be taken at Houston.
BY the time the roll call reaches
Texas the convention floor will be a
waving mass of Smith flags and a
frenzed mob of marching delegates,
It is doubtful IL the permanent chair
nan will be able to keep sufficient
order so that the vote of Texas may
be heard.
$50 after all Beaumont will not
settle any question in regard to the
candidacy Of Smith. IL will, however,
settle the question of whether Smith
can run on a platform ignoring the
definite sentiment of the southern
and western democrats to the effect
that the eighteenth amendment
should be definitely named and en-
dorsed by the Houston convention.
IL Gov. Smith can ard does accept
the eighteenth amendment as part of
his platform, he will become the
fsvorite in the betting to defeat
Hoover or whoever is the republican
nominee. If he does not accept the
eighteenth amendment he will be de-
feated by the republican nominee. "A
refusal of the eighteenth amendment
by Smith will mean that for the first
time since the Civil war a republican
candidate has a chance to carry Gulf
Coast Southern states. A refusal Of
the eighteenth amendment will mean
that Smith will lose Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Oklahoma, possibly North
Carolina and Mississippi, and in the
event of a party split, Texas itself.
$50 after all the issue is not
whether Smith is to be nominee, II is
whether Smith is to become presi-
dent. II Smith is merely a politician,
if he IS a provincial statesman af-
fected by New York environment he
will use the steam roller and ignore
the serious thought Of the South and
West. IL he is a broad-guaged
statesman, he will endorse the
eighteenth amendment along with
every other amendment to the con
stitution, and, in his speech Of nc
ceptance, he will reserve the right TO
discuss fully and frankly his per-
sonal views regarding the Nolstead
law
THE eighteenth amendment is a
fact. Any candidate for office who IS
willing to state that he will enforce
the eighteenth amendment, il elected
president. might as well not run for
office. On the other hand, any demo-
cratic candidate who attempts to run
on a platform endorsing the eigh-
teenth amendment and who does not
meet the issue sincerely, might as
we'll not run. The views of Gov.
Smith are well known. He is not
personally in favor OF the Volstead
law. He believes in temperance in
thought, in eating and in drinking.
Believing these things, he can be-
come a candidate on a platform en-
dorsing the eighteeth amendment.
And, also believing in temperance.
ne can in good conscience and as a
candidate. discuss the de~sirability Of
changes in the Volsteal law. the bet
ter to bring about temperance and
with the definite design Of reducing
lawlessness and killing of the un-
wholesome partnership now existing
throughout the United States be-
tween the super bootlogger and the
super politicians.
ITO summarize: Gov. Smith will
be nominated on the first ballot at
Houston. IL Gov. Smith accepts the
eighteenth amendment as a platform
declaration, he will have the South
and West for him. and there will be
no party bolt. If he becomes a steam
rolling wet politician instead Of a
f~arseeing statesman. he will lose
enough states in the South and West
to beat him, and the man on the con-
~vention floor who mos. clearly voices
the sentiment of the South and West.
will be Dan Moody. governor of
Texas, and head Of TIE Texas dele
CATION"