Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-30
SMITH HURLS Def
At DRYS WITH HIS
MODIFICATION PLEA
Message of Acceptance Is
Blow to Prohibition Lead
erS of Party.
VIEWED BID FOR VOTES
IN EASTERN TERRITORY
Houston Delegates Wonder What
People Back Home" Will Say
to Governor Edict.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF The Star,

HOUSTON. June 3o.--Gov. Al Smith
OF New York. Democracy's new presl-
Dental nominee. has definitely thrown
clown the gauntlet to the drys In his
telegram 10 the Democratic national
convention accepting the nomination,
he has gone far beyond the party pat
form on the wet and dry issue. He has
declared that he will point the way to
modification or repeal of the dry laws
and the eighteenth amendment II ne
becomes President.
No opportunity was given the con-
vention to express itself on this inter-
lection Of the dry issue into the con-
vention Nor did Gov. Smith ask the
convention in any way to change It's
platform or offer to allow the conven-
tion to nominate some other candidate,
If his views on this subject were not
satisfactory
In 1904. another Democratic nominee
for President. Judge Alton B. Parker OF
New York. after he had been nonl-
mated. sent a telegram to that conyen-
ton declaring that the gold Stanuafo
had been firmly established IN TINS
country and that he believed IN IT, he
said that If his views on the monetary
issue we're not satisfactory. the con-
vention could nominate some one else.
William Jennings Bryan in that con-
yention came from sick bed to wage
8 war against Parker. But free silver.
the Democrats realized, was a dead
issue then The convention sent 10
Parker a telegram accepting his views
Message Is Withheld.
Bat Gov. Smith followed no such
course Furthermore, his telegram was
withheld from the Houston convention
until it was about to adjourn. Though
the ramor that such a telegram had
been sent spread TO newspaper corre-
sponderlfs.. none of the Smith leaders
would admit there existed such mes
sage until II was about TO be read.
The Democratic leaders supporting
smith III the South and West have
urged for months that prohibition was
not d parry issue and should not be
made such Even Senator Robinson,
who has been chosen TO run with Gov
Smith or the national ticket. IN his adj
dress to the convention declared against
a wet plank and said that prohibition
should not be made party issue. ii
Smith last February had made the
statement hat If elected President. ne
would seek to repeal the existing laws
for that. ia plain language, Is what ms
message meanS-Would he have been
able to gather in the large number OF
delegates IN the West that he did, or
would the Southern States have elected
delegates who. after all, rather ac-
caliesed IN the nomination Of Smith, IL
they did NOT actually support him?
There is no doubt about the TACT
that Gov Smiths telegram came as
chilling disappointment TO many OF the
dry Democratic leaders.
Josephus Daniels, Secretary of the
Navy under Wilson, q North Carolinlan
who fought. bled and died for the So
called dry plank II the Democratic
platform, expressed the view OF some
of these drys after he had heard the
smith telegram He said:
1t was q great mistake. 1t VIII make
al the harder the task Of these dele
gates. who intend to support the ticket,
hgat who know they viii have great diff
Guilty in getting their folks back home
20 do So"
Women Score Smith.
Afr. Daniels had given out a state
rnent before ne saw the Smith telegram
saving that every dry and every wet
Democrat could work wholeheartedly
for the election Of Smith in an effort
ao turn the Republicans out Of office.
There are expressions OF many dry
Democratic women here IN Texas that
they vii never support Al Smith. In
deed. il lis conceded here that Herbert
Hoover. the Republican nominee. viii
receive perhaps 10000 votes In Texas
and that he viii probably carry The city
OF Dallas and several other cities.
The Democrats have made every at
tempt at the convention just closed and
in the platform which they adopted TO
divert attention from the prohibition
issue By playing up farm relief and at
aacEing Republican corruption. But
GoQ Smith has taken an entirely diff
ferent course To some Of the poll
ficlans here his telegram is a bid for
votes ~ New York, New Jersey, Illinois
and other vet States where the big
fight is expected 70 be waged In the
coming campaign. The Smith people
believe that the candidate undoubtedly
viii carry the dry States OF the South,
CONTINUED on Page Z, Column D.