Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-12

Interest in the recent Wisconsin
referendum, which resulted In large
majority against the State prohibition
enforcement law, centers about con-
fiicting opinions as to its national Sig
nifcance.
THE Wisconsin referendum" ac-
cording to the Columbus Ohio State
Journal, lis further evidence that PreSi-
dent Hoover's election was not an ex-
preston Of public opinion on ,prohibi-
ton, as the professional drys claim, for
Wisconsin went emph9tically for Hoover
and now goes emphatically wet. We
favor a referendum in every State, II
national referendum is impossible. on
the naked question Of prohibition or
Government control Of liquor sales in
States which choose by popular vote to
be wet"
The New York Sun agrees that "the
Wisconsin vote does damage the dry
argument that the Hoover Smith cleo
ton last November should be interpreted
as a referendum because Of the avowed
dryneSS Of Mr.. Hoover and the more
emphatically avowed wetneSs Of Mr..
Smith" The Sun believes that ''the
net effect Of the Wisconsin vote should
be to encourage the vets without par
ticularly discouraging the drys." The
Brooklyn Daily Eagle. referring also to
the November election, notes that Mr..
Hoover's inaugural message plea for
State cooperation In enforcement did
not make much Of an impression In the
Badger State"
Prom Wisconsin's referendum figures
and New York's refusal to return to
concurrent State enforcement of pro-
hibitton moderate citizens will draw at
least one inference" in the opinion of
the Chicago Daily News, and that is
that "the investigation Of abuses In
prohibition enforcement and of the gen.
eral situation that has developed under
the Volstead law--an investigation which
President Hoover has pledged himself to
institutes necessary and unacceptable y
ut Is an unfortunate trend, for there
Is q lot of good that the dry law has
done in this country, declares the Port
land Oregon Journal, with the further
comment: Are these votes by indi-
vidual States to 60 on? And what sort
of development may appear In the final
outcome? Many Scand friend Of pro-
hibition is disturbed By recent happen
ings." The Oklahoma City Times, how
ever, is convinced that few other States
will follow the Wisconsin example,;
that "it is not repeal that the friends
of prohibition need to fear. but nulli-
fication."
Looking forward to possible legislative
action in Wisconsin in accordance with
the referendum, the Kansas City Jour-
nal-Post states: This would increase
the task of Federal enforcement and
make it harder on persons charged with
violating the Volstead and Jones acts.
They will be taken before United States
courts. generally held at some distance
from their homes, and they will be tried
under statute which has an unusually
high penalty" The Waterbury Re-
publican suggests that wisconsin Is
still In the Union and the Volstead act
will remain in force there"
1.-THE Commonwealth where beer
flowed freely In the days when the bars
were wide open never was . stronghold
of prohibition activities remarks the
Houston Chronicle, with the explanation
that "the rural districts of the State are
appreciably dryer than they were three
years ago" The Lansing State Journal
also observes that outside the large
cities prohibition has very substantial
Falls Argls-Leader sees no change OF
sentiment there. The Madison wis
consin State Journal, on the other
hand, finds "a decided trend away from
the wet status"
ct merely shows" according to the
indianapolis News, that Wisconsin is
still out of sympathy with the national
prohibition act; that its people are I'M
willing to lend their efforts to enforce
ment of the Federal act, and that they
wish to see the act modified to conform
to their views" The result Is discounted
as the action Of decidedly wet State
by the Grand Rapids Press, the VIII
Transport Sun and the South Bend Tri-
bune. The Tribune adds: THE drys
may be able to derive some consolation
from the fact that the vets were tri-
umphant two to one in this referendum,
whereas Wisconsin citizens voted three
TO one in 1925 in favor Of . legislative
petition to Congress to modify the Vol
stead act to pernlit manufacture Of 2.75