The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-07-02
KEEPING UP;
With I
THE NE WIS.,
BY LUDWELL DENNY

D1lIAI44, DuI WIFI a SOuL LACE.
Smiths frank statement favoring
modification of the prohibition pro-
visions has wiped out-for the mo-
ment at least-the wet-and-dry
harmony which had been injected
more or less artihcially into the
Houston convention and platform.
That prohibition plank was in
tentionally evasive. 1t committed
the party to law enforcement and
went a mile around the modification
dispute, which is the only real issue.
That plank was subject to inter
probation, and the southern political
leaders were calling it dry victory.
They were going home to tell the
ladies of the w. G. T. u, in the
home town that that man Al Smith
sent his forces down to Houston to
force through a wet plank, but by
the grace of the dry cohorts he had
been stopped and made to take what
was really G dry plank.
But the downright AL sent a
message to the convention even be-
fore the drys could get out of town,
reafirming his wet position-as he
was at liberty to do under the letter
Of the platform.
Now, as you talk with these
southern dry politicians aboard the
train on their way home, you find
them all glum and many bitter. We
have no alibi, they say, or words to
that effect.
That Smith statement is going to
lose us the border States sure, they
say. Why, the prohibition organiza-
tons in some districts hold the
balance of power and there is no
way under the sun in which we can
make them take Smith-though of
course We have got to try.
n Il
IN other words, these political
4 leaders almost to a man are con.
WINGED that Smith is and has beeG
from the beginning the only Demo-
crat with ghost Of a show of win
ming the national election, and they
are going to do all in their power
to keep their own people in line.
In the solid South this will not he
awfully difficult, for the worst most
OF the dryS will do is to stay away
from the polls on election day. Tho
contemplated bone-dry party, prob
ably will not get very far.
But in the border States like West
Virginia, Oklahoma and Tennessee,
they think Smith has raised bar
rier by his wet statement which he
will never be able to hurdle.
In the flush Of their diSappoint-
ment they are not ready to admit
that Smiths strongest asset in the
| country at large must be in the long
run the peoples confidence in his
utter honesty, which necessitated
his statement.
Nor are they convinced, for the
moment that Al can win the east
ern States because of his wetness.
The normal Republican majorities
in presidential years in Massachu-
sets, New York, and New Jersey
weigh heavily upon them.
But it is interesting to see hoNI
rapidly they are reviving. TheSe
same southern politicians are those
who deluged you with forbodines
about Smith at Houston the week
before the convention and eight
days later were almost wild with
confidence Of his November victory
Then Smiths Friday statement
shot them into the pit of gloom
again. But now on Monday, they
have argued themselves into the
necessity Of making the best of it"
ana are going to put on a smiling
face to their constituents.
r.
THA'T is not going 20 be easy
Il Smith probably will never real
ize how basic is the popular feel
ing these southern leaders are meet
ing and trying to overcome.
For instance, this train draws into
Charlotte, N. c. A southern Sen
ator leans out the window to buy a
local paper. He reads the head
lines and turns a green. He
passes the paper over to you with
a sigh of despair. You read:
Nation faces great moral crisis.
says leading churchman. Nomina-
ton of Alfred E. Smith precipitated
a grave moral problem upon the
American people and Democrats of
the South particularly, declared the
Right Rev. Edwin D. Mouzon, Bish-
op in charge Of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church, South, in the two
CarolinaS. He said:
I'm our hour of peril we turn
again to the women of America, and
say to them that they have come to
the kingdom for such time as this.
Once more let them raise the cry,
For God and home and native
land Surely our women will not
fail us in this hour of moral crisis.
THE sidewalks of New York have
had their temporary victory in
Houston. The moral and spiritual
ideals of our southern Democracy
will now begin to make themselves
heard in such a fashion as shall
show that righteousness when
aroused is always victorious"
The Senator No. 2 comes up and
fans himself helpelessly as his eye
catches this blow from the bishop
Of the two Carolinas:
"The situation is vastly more Sc
rious than professional party poll
ticians can imagine it to be-"
| ThiC Date in1