Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30
MRS. WILLEBRANDT'S SPEECHES
BRING SPLIT AMONG OHIO DRYS
Church Leaders Oppose Air.
ing of Religious
Issue.
Contend Prohibition Is Sole
Factor in Anti-Smith
Offensive.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

! Special Dispatch to The Star.
| COLUMBUS, Ohio, September 90
Whatever reaction to the addresses of
Mrs. Mabel Walker Willebrandt before
religious organizations here may be in
the Federal Department of Justice and
at Republican national headquarters, 1t
gives no offenSe, apparently. to the
Ohio audiences before which she ap-
pears. Most of the Protestant denom-
nations here are imbued with the
notion that to be of practical use re-
ligion must be applied to the affairs
of the world, and that includes politics.
The Methodists, PresbyterianS and
Lutherans lead in this, but, with the
possible exception of the Protestant
Episcopal Church. the feeling seems to
be shared by all the non-Catholic
bodies. The BaptistS might properly
be added as a fourth member In this
State that are leading in the move
ment to line up their memberships In
opposition to Gov. Smith on account
of his stand against prohibition.
They all draw the line sharply, how
ever. against any movement to oppose
the Democratic candidate because of
his church membership, and because
of this there has been a buZzing of
remonStrance, even among those who
oppose Gov Smith on the wet and dry
question, against an editorial that ap-
peared last week in the Ohio edition
of the American Issue, organ of the
Anti-Saloon League, calling for action
in this campaign with a view to in
surfing that the administration of gov
eminent shall be held under Protest
ant. Anglo-Saxon control
Is Second Eruption.
1t is the second violent eruption with
in the Ohio Anti-Saloon League this
year because of its effort to function
in the politics of the campaign, and it
seems likely to result in a reorganiZa-
ton after the campaign is ended The
first arose out of an apparent attempt
to throw the influence Of the league
solely to the support of Myers Y.
Cooper of Cincinnati after the execu-
tive committee of the organization had
given equal Endorsement to Representa-
tive J. M. Begg, Cooper's rival for the
nomination Of the Republicans for gov
ernor. Cooper won, and by a margin
SO small as to give good reason for be-
lieving that Endorsement of the Ameri-
can Issue, thus given, may have de-
cided the matter, but with the end of
the campaign this controversy died
down, and friends of Mr. Begg in the
league announced they would support
Mr.. Cooper.
But this new break" on the part of
the leagues organ, it is generally felt,
calls for an immediate reorganization
OF the Ohio branch of the league.
There has not been, as a matter of fact,
such perfect work on the part of the
inn In - n< n
Baker and Wayne B. Wheeler. The
league has been hard fought, but never
has been as hard hit as 1t has Just been
hit by some of its own officials, which
has shaken public confidence in it.
Hoover Holds Lead.
The stage of the campaign at which
voters are believed to have made up
their minds as to how they will vote
having been reached, polls and straw
votes OF all kinds are being taken in
this State. with varying scopes and de-
grees of efficiency. They all show Hoo
yer in the lead.
One feature Of these polls that tends
to discredit them is that in the column
where the voters state how they voted
in 1924 trend from the Republican to
the Democratic ranks is indicated that
does not harmonic with the big major
ity indicated for Mr.. Hoover In the
other columns.
1t looks as though, so far as the ma
tional campaign committees. are con-
cerned, the Ohio Democrats and Repub-
licans would be left to, fight it out
themselves. So far not a speaker from
outside the State, excepting Mrs. WILLIE
brandt, has been sent into Ohio. I'm
less something happens to put more
vigor into the campaign, 1t viii be the
dullest presidential campaign Ohio has
seen in many yesrs.
J. n. GALBRAITH.