The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-30
issue TO Get
!. FIRST Test IN
FALL ELECTION
Looms as the Most Critical
!. Question Since Days
of Slavery.
NOW is UP TO HOOVER
Republicans Are Expected
I. to Accept Democrats
= Challenge.
NOW IS UP TO HOOVER
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER

bx MA YMONO CLAEEER
United Press STAFF Correspondent
HOUSTON, June 30.-Dry forces
which brought about Federal pro-
Inhibition now are facing their real
crisis.
After test of more than eight
years, the Volstead act drafted by
the late Wayne B. Wheeler, head Of
the Anti-Saloon League, is about
ito be placed in judgment.
That is what the candidacy of
Governor Alfred E. Smith means in
view of his declaration to the
Democratic national convention
that he feels it his duty as the
leader of the party to point the way
10 different solution of the liquor
problem.
Issue Is Fundamental
: The issue is sharply drawn and
may perhaps become the most criti-
cal political question since slavery,
for it goes down to the most fun
'damental beliefs of the average
man.
The conflict is between those who
believe it is every mans right to
decide whether he shall drink in
toxicating liquor or not and those
who believe liquor is bad and the
Federal Government should under
take to deny it to all.
It is between those who believe
In permitting the individual to dis
cipline himself and those who be-
1ieve the Government should do it
because some are too weak to be
trusted on their own responsibility.
The Democrats have adopted
platform pledging strict law en-
forcement and avoiding all refer
ence to the modification issue. The
Republicans have done the same
thing. Both of these planks are
pIatitudes because every off1ceholder
takes a pledge to enforce the laws.
A President or any other official
who refused to enforce the laws
would be subject to impeachment.
Forces Hoover's Hand
The issue is whether the law
should stand or be changed. Smith
has declared it should be changed.
Hoover, the Republican candidate,
has not declared himself but the
aggressive fight which Smith ap-
parently intends to make on the
modification issue probably will
force Hoover to take definite
stand. Most politicians believe the
Republican party will take the dry
side.
Regardless of the stand Hoover
takes, Smith has forced the issue.
either way Hoover goes on modifica-
ton or if he never defines his posi-
ton, the drys will be facing their
first real test since prohibition. I'm
til now no presidential candidate
has come out frankly for modif1ca-
ton.
Smith has put the question up to
the country and there will be no
escaping it in the election The
backbone of the fight necessarily
will fall to the Anti-Saloon League,
the organization which wrote the
Eighteenth Amendment and the
Volstead act into the law Of the
land. The league goes into it de-
sprived of the expert services of the
slate Wayne B. Wheeler, who bore
ithe burden of the original battle.
Many affiliated dry organizations
and church societies will pool their
forces.
All Depends on Smith
Technically nothing can be done
toward modification unless a Con-
gress favorable to modification is
elected. Congress has been three
quarters dry for several years. A
President only can recommend laws.
He also can veto them, but with a
two-thirds majority in Congress
such bills can be passed over his
head
AS Congress stands today a wet
President vetoing enforcement legis-
1ation easily could be overridden
However, most real causes are
bound up in personalities and
Smith is such dramatic figure
now and he so definitely is identi-
fed as the champion of the modi-
ficationists, that his victory OF
defeat will have a tremendous
psychological effect-and psyche
logical effects have real conse-
eences in politics.
A victory for Smith would en-
courage modification sentiment and