Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-25
Reed as a Dry. -

Senator James A. Reed of Missouri
as a champion of the drys against the
wet AL Smith of New York is the latest
product of the whirligig of politics. The
picture just does not seem real, not
vithstanding the statement issued by
Senator Reed in Houston Sunday, which
manifestly was a bid for the support of
the drys in his contest against Smith
for the presidential nomination of the
Democratic party. Some of the dry
leaders are apparently willing to fall in
with the Reed game, not because they
love Reed so much. but because they
hate Smith so much more. Several
months ago 1t was reported that Will
liam Gibbs McAdoo was ready to take"
Reed rather than have Smith. his old
opponent win the nomination. Today
some of the old McAdoo leaders at
Houston are foremost in the plan to
rally the Smith opposition behind the
fighting Missourian.
The straits to which the Smith oppo-
sition has finally arrived are indicated
in this latest move in the convention
city. There is so far no indication that
McAdoo himself is back of the plan to
have Reed lead the anti-Smith fight.
McAdoo is one of those who have not
gone TO Houston.
How much more consistent would the
movement for a coalition against Smith
have been if George of Georgia, Hull of
Tennessee or woollen Of Indiana were
picked to head 1t! ALI of them are dry,
and none of them has the anti-Wilson
record of Mr.. Reed. The trouble IN
Houston has been, however. to get any
of these favorite-son candidates to Tight
Smith. There are two reasons-first, the
cry for harmony has been so strong
that these favorite sons have soft
pedaled anything that might look like
good old-fashioned Democratic row.
Second. some of these favorite sons are
shrewdly suspected of desiring TO run
with AL Smith on the Democratic ma
ttonal ticket.
Smith, according to many OF the
Democrats, has chance to be elected
President. The vice presidency is no
Job to be sneezed at these days.
Reeds statement. which seems to ally
him with the drys against Smith, Great
ed a mild sensation in Houston when 1t
was made public. While 1t merely gave
his record on the wet and dry question,
It also gave the inference that Senator
!, Reed was prepared to 60 to the slimit
of the enforcement laws If he should
become President. 1t was . palpable
!. attack on Smith. although it did not
mention the New York governor by
name.
Senator Reed has maintained through
cut the pre-convention campaign that
prohibition must not be made an issue
OF the coming campaign. He has in
sisted that Democrats are divided over
the right and wrong Of prohibition, and
that the best thing for the party to do
is to take no stand nationally on the
subject, other than to proclaim itself
for the enforcement Of the laws.
While q wet and an opponent OF the
eighteenth amendment when 1t was
put through, Senator Reed has record
very different from that Of Smith. He
opposed the proposed repeal Of the Mis-
souri, State enforcement act, and Gov.
Smith signed the bill repeating the New
York enforcement Law. Reed has now
come out as an opponent Of the null
iincation" plan Of the New York vets.
which would allow individual States TO
determine what shall be the alcoholic
content Of beverages sold within their
borders.
But Reed, as a champion Of the drys'
illustrates once more what strange bed
fellows politics makes.