The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-04-02
DRY ACT FATE
PUT TO VOTE
IN WISCONSIN
Election for Guidance of
Legislature Now in
Session.
BITTER CAMPAIGN ENDS
Question of Secession
From Union Prohibition
Friends Declare.
BITTER CAMPAIGN ENDS

81 United Press
MADISON, Wis, April with
repeal of the state prohibition as an
issue, Wisconsin went to the polls
today.
Drys called the special vote a
question of whether Wisconsin will
"secede from the Union" over the
prohibition law.
VETS said it was only an express
sion of sentiment, joining with
Nevada, New York, Montana and
Maryland in movement to end
prohibition.
On the ballot, the question on
which voters of the state will de-
eide, reads:
Shall the state prohibition en-
forcement act, generally known as
the Severson act, be repealed"
Vote to Guide Lawmakers
Result of the voting neither will
repeal nor save the law. It merely
is for the guidance of the legisla-
ture now in session here.
A second question on the ballot,
oversfadowed by the repeal fight
and largely IGNORED by both sides,
was that of amending the state dry
act to remove penalties for making
and selling beer.
Weather promised to be an infiu-
entail if not deciding factor in de-
termining the status of the dry law
The state was blanketed with snow
Monday, stopping all outdoor work
and indicating a large vote in rural
communities where, heretofore. drys
have poiled ma jorities.
On the other hand the snow has
blocked highways in some districts
which may keep many farmers from
voting their convictions.
The wet vote, generally speaking
is maSsed in the more populous Sec
tons, Milwaukee being the center.
Sponsored by Socialist
The repeal and beer referendum
was sopnSonored and guided
through the legislature by Senator
Thomas H. Duncan, Milwaukee So
cialiSt.
Duncan has been behind other
wet moves in the state, one a bill
to abolish penalties for beer max
ing, which was vetoed by Governor
Fred r. Zimmerman, and the Other
a referendum in 1926, by which Wis
consin voted 2 to in favor of ask
ing congress to amend the Volstead
act to legalize beer.
Duncan made a brief, but Whirl-
wind campaign, his latest wet move
ment, challenging votes to vote as
you drink; be honest with yourself
and with the state"
Dry leaders characterized his
slogan as fostering government of
the belly, by the belly and for the
belly"
The Association Against the Pro
hibition Amendment entered the
campaign IL earnest, inserting ad-
vertisements in many newspapers
reading: Smash prohibition, state
| by state.
Trouble for Kohler
The fight against the vets was
led by the Saloon League and
w. c. T. u, both organizations
concentrating on getting out the
rural vote.
Should the vets win in the voting
and the legislature pass a repeal
law, Governor Walter j. Kohler
probably would find himself in an
embarrassing position.
He was elected last fall over La
Toilette progressive forces by the
paradoXical aid of Anti-Saloon
League forces combined with the
support of the Association Against
the Prohibition Amendment.
Friends of the Go ernor in the
senate where the resolution to SUBJ
NIT the refe- ondum won by a
margin OF two votes, were prepared
to make a fight to hold up any
legislation that may result from the
vt and thus relieve the bathtut
manufacturer Governor Of en-
/ barraSSment.