Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-03
PARTY RIFT Barred
IN M ADOO SPEECH
Attacks Smiths Enforcement
VieWs-Asks U. S. Aid
for States.

The speech that so many people ex-
pected William Gibbs McAdoo to make
at the jackson day dinner. challenging
the views Of Gov. Smith on prohibition,
has at last been made at Richmond.
Mr.. McAdoo is represented as having
felt that the Jackson day party was a
friendly political gathering in which
proprieties called for harmony. AS for
individual expression on party issues.
the former Secretary of the Treasury
having stepped aside so far as presi-
dental candidacy is concerned. feels
he has a right to state the viewpoint
of the drvs in the Democratic party
about the importance of preventing any
wet" from being elected to the prcsi-
dency.
Although Mr.. McAdoo does not dis
cuss Republican candidates it is known
shat he feels President Coolidge has
tailed on law enforcement and that
when Gov. Smith signed the repeal of
the enforcement act in the State Of
New York. a more vigorous policy on
the part of the White House should
have been pursued He thinks that
when New York State in effect sub
tracted several thousand police officers
from enforcement duty. the President
might have asked for a special appro-
the law in New York State. by tncreaS-
ing the number of Federal agents
Cites Misrepresentation.
Mr.. McAdoo insists that Gov Smith
is under q misrepresentation in statlne
that the Volstead law Is as much
part of New York State law as II there
we're a special State enforcement act
The former Secretary declares that the
oretically a local police officer has a
sacred duty TO turn over to Federai
officials, any violators OF the Federal
statutes, but that in actual practice, 1t
does not work out that way and that
when the New York State enforcement
act was repealed State courts lost
Jurisdiction over liquor offenses.
Mr.. McAdoo argues for financial aid
from the Federal Government for states
like New York and Maryland. where
local enforcement statutes have been re-
pealed or never passed. His theory Is
that the Federal Government furnishes
aid to States In road building and can
do so in any other Federal activity
While the McAdoo speech is chal-
lenge to Gov Smith 1t also represents
the true feeling of the drys about Re-
publican policies of law enforcement.
and II would not be surprising to see
movement started to pledge Repub-
lican candidates to recommend. II elect
ed. the appropriation by Congress oil
funds TO take care of law enforcement
in those States where the task Is being
sidetracked.
Party Faces Discord.
Inside the Democratic party. the effect
OF the McAdoo speech Is bound to be
one of greater discord. for already II had
been hoped that the speech OF the New
York governor pledging law enforcement
might be the basis for compromise
Mr. McAdoo sweeps 1t aside as mean
ingless and attempts TO rally the drys
In the party against Gov. Richie as
well as Gov Smith. The difficulty Mr..
McAdoo faces Is that unless some out
standing candidate makes an issue OF
prohibition inside the party. the
chances of a clear-cut fight on the
question will be diminished. unless. OF
course. the platform fight develops the
two different viewpoints.
1t Is being said by Smith supporters
that no matter what controversy may
occur on the platform. the New York
governor. II nominated. would gladly
stand on the platform. In opposition to
this Is the view Of his opponents. who
think that his record will count far more
on the prohibition issue than his ac-
ceptance OF the party platform.
The significance OF the McAdoo speech
Is that there Is less harmony in the
party than the Jackson day dinner it
self indicated D. L.
tCopyright. 1881