Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-07
CONNECTICUT FIGHT
BEGINS IN EARNEST
Both Parties Open Conven-
tions-G. O. P. Hope in
Organization.
Continued from First Page.)

particular praise. The industries of
Connecticut would wither and die, the
workers will be told, if the Democrats
begin to tamper with the tariff law.
Connecticut has very large foreign
born population, and these late Corners
to America, the Democrats believe, will
| look with favor on the candidacy of Gov.
| Smith. himself the son of an immigrant.
One Out of Four Foreign Born.
| A glance at the most recent figures
show that the native-born white-popula-
| ton of Connecticut was 982.2l9 in 1920,
and the foreign-born whites numbered
| 376,5l3. In other words, more than one
of every four people in the State is for
eign born. The largest of the foreign
born groups are the Italo-Americans
with 10000 plus. The Poles come next
| with 10000 and then the 1riSh-Ameri-
cans, with $4,000. There are more than
! $4,000 Russians and more than $4,000
Germans and $4,000 English born, while
| 24.000 have come in from Canada. many
of them French Canadians.
| However. the Republicans insist that
very many of the foreign-born citizens
have voted the Republican ticket IN the
past and will continue to do so.
Mr.. Roraback takes the view that Re-
publicans in Connecticut generally are
Republican before they are wet" and
will retain their allegiance with the
Republican party this Fall.
G., o. p. Hopes i'm Women.
A great deal of attention is being
given the woman vote here by the Re-
publications, in the belief that the dry
women will 60 far toward offsettlng
any losses among the men due to the
wet issue A capable woman's organ
ization, under the lead of Miss Kath-
crime Byrne, Republican State vice
chairman, is operating full blast. In
dealing with the voters inclined to
swing to Smith on the wet issue the
Republicans are seeking to impress on
them the fact that Gov. Smith cannot
bring about the sale of liquor, since
a constitutional amendment is some
thing Congress and the States must
pass upon.
The keynote speech of the Republican
State convention, delivered last night
by the temporary chairman, Represent
alive Schuyler Merritt set the pace
and gave the angle with which the Re-
publicans will seek to undermine Gov.
Smiths popularity in Connecticut as
wet.
Uses Popular Argument.
Mr.. Merritt declared frankly he did
not agree with Mr.. Hoover when the
presidential candidate said he was OPP
posed to the repeal of the eighteenth
amendment. But, he said it was quite
clear that Gov. Smith, If elected to the
presidency. could not make the Nation
or Connecticut wet. He used, indeed,
the same argument now advanced In
hx,6 not11n-
cratic speakers who urge the election
of Gov. Smith-that is, Gov. Smith
without the acquiescence of two thirds
of the Senate and House and three
fourthS of the 48 States cannot repeal
or amend the eighteenth amendment;
ct have not recently looked up the
figures" said Mr.. Merritt but think
it is safe to say that no motion LOOKING
even to a modification of the Volstead
act has ever received 100 votes In the
House. where the membership is 435. |
This is 100 votes short of the two-thirds |
REQUIRED to amend the Constitution.
Before the eighteenth amendment was |
adopted 80 States had gone dry by their
own votes, so only 6 more States were
needed to make the necessary SO TO raul
fv. But since then all but two states,
Connecticut and Rhode Island, nave
ratified. Now, will any sane man con-
tend, assuming that THESE Two 0cdceo
could favor repeal, that "a more States |
could be found which would reverse
themselves on this question or that 100 |
congressional districts will change and
send wet Representatives to Congress-"
It is possible that the method OF
attack against Smith, the wet cham |
pion. now advanced in Connecticut, Will
be the same Republican offensive de-
veloped in New York, New Jersey, |
Massachusetts and other wet territory.
Mr.. Merritt made no effort in his key
note address to lineup the voters Tor
the cause of prohibition. He is himself
a wet. But he said:
Declared to Face Conditions.
eve are facing condition not a
theory. We can only act wisely If we
base our actions on facts and not on
fancies. / do not agree with Mr..
Hoover as to the eighteenth amendment.
He does not favor its repeal, while
do because in my opinion, special social
legislation should have no place in the
Constitution Mr.. Smiths observations
on this question in his speech are inter-
esting and with some of his statements
I agree. But so far as having any effect
on prohibition and the eighteenth
u