Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-07
Politics at Large
By G.. Could Lincoln.

Inere is q SLrOng movement ABROAD 10
recapture the Democratic party for the
"drys." 1t is taking form particularly in
the South, which was split wide open by
the candidacy Of former Gov. Alfred E.
Smith of New York for President last
year. But the hope of the Anti-Saloon
League and others is that the Democrats
will be sick of the wet end of the argu-
ment, even in the North, by the time
another national election rolls round
When Senator Harris of Georgia
introduced his amendment to the def
cheney appropriation bill, providing an
additional $24,000,000 for prohibition
enforcement, and the Republican adj
ministration, lead by Secretary Mellon
and President Coolidge. came out in
opposition to the amendment, the stage
was set for demonstration, with the
Democratic Senators and Representa-
tives from the South leaping on the
water wagon amendment. 1t Is quite
true that the Harris amendment had
the support of number of Republican
Senators, who had not the slightest
desire to help rehabilitate the Demo-
cratic party in the South, or anywhere
else. But it is equally true that since
the matter has been ventilated in the
House, where the Republican leaders,
some of them leading drys, did not
hesitate to declare that the Harris
amendment was designed principally to
give the Democrats in Congress from
Southern States chance to get back
into the good graces of their dry con-
st1tuents, some of these Republican
Senators are backing away from their
support of the Harris amendment and
are not likely to vote for it again. if
1t comes before them.
X X X X
The House Republican leaders were
faced with a real problem when the
Harris amendment was sent over to
the House along with the deficiency
bill. They had to defeat this proposal,
which had the approval of the Anti
Saloon League. or else have the admin
istration placed in an embarrassing
position, and, perhaps, President-elect
Hoover, too. since the amendment pro-
posed to leave the spending of these
millions largely in the hands of the
Chief Executive. Their best chance ap-
peared to be to give the Harris amend
ment a political, rather than a dry
complexion. They did a real lob of it
during the debate in the House. and
strong drys, like Cramton of Michigan,
Cooper OF Ohio. Hersey of Maine, all
denounced the amendment as the work
OF the Democrats, who they said, were
seeking to gain favor again after their
support of Gov. Smith, their wet can
didate for President.
The Anti-saloon League, through its
general superintendent, j. Scott Nc
Bride, and other officials, came out in
favor Of the Harris amendment. In
this they followed Bishop James Can
non. jr., Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South. who organized the anti
Smith Democrats to help elect Hoover
In the last campaign. The determina-
ton Of the Anti-Saloon League officials
to favor the Harris amendment ap-
pears good politics. 1t is not difficult
to understand that the Anti-Saloop
League desires to see both the major
political parties firmly ranged on the
dry side. Here was an opportunity to
put the Democrats of the South in
line, and with the backing of the Anti
Saloon League. The Republicans are
committed to the dry cause. If enough
OF the Democrats also are committed
to that cause, the likelihood of either
OF the parties putting wet in the field
for President in 1899 would be exceed
1ngly small. So. although the league
apparently has taken a licking IN the
House, it may work to the advantage
OF the drys In the end.
n n X X
The congressional election in the
sixteenth Missouri district has been a
pleasing affair so far as the Republicans
are concerned. This district in the days
before 1920 was consistently Democratic
by as large a margin sometimes as
a mn 80 go
Republican, rode into the House from
that district on the Harding landslide in
1920. He won at first by a few scant
hundreds Of votes. Gradually he in
creased his majority until he won the
last time by some 5000 votes. 1t came
to be looked upon as "Foust district"
and the Republicans, after Mr.. Foust
died, feared that perhaps without his
personal popularity to bank on the dis
trict might backslide and become Demo-
cratic. This has not been the case.
In the election just held the Republic
an nominee won handily by less ma
jority than that of Mr.. Foust, it is true,
but by 2,700 votes. The Democrats put
forward strong candidate, the mayor
OF st. Joe, but the Republican forces
held in a section Of the State where
the anti-Smith sentiment among Demo-
Gratis had been very strong, which may
have had something to do with the
congressional election, too. The newly
elected member from the sixteenth dis
trict is David w. Hopkins. He defeated
Mayor Louis v. Stigall.
X X
Senator Fred Hale of Maine, chair
man of the Senate committee on naval
affairs, has put the cruiser bill through
the Senate to the tune Of So to II.
For weeks Senator Hale has been the
butt of both supporters and opponents
OF the measure, who believed they knew
more than he did about getting the bill
through the Senate. Supporters of the
bill girded at him because he permitted
the Kellogg treaty renouncing war to
come to vote in the Senate ahead of
the cruiser bill. Opponents of the
measure laughed in their sleeves, as
sorting that the cruiser bill would be
talked to death in the remainder of the
short session. It is Senator Hale's turn
to laugh now. He neither lost by per-
uniting the treaty to take precedence
in the Senate, nor was he Stampeded
by the suggestion that his bill would
be tilibustered to death. He knew at
all times there were sufficient votes in
the Senate to pass the bill by an over
whelming majority. Once the bill had
been made the unfinished business of
the Senate-at the same time that the
treaty became the unfinished business
''in executive session." the fight was al
most as good as ended It is true that
it was necessary to keep the cruiser bill
always in readiness for consideration
and that Senator Hale attended to.
When the opposition became convinced
that it would be impossible to talk the
bill to death-for sheer lack of breath
before March 4. it permitted limit to
be set on the debate.
y * X v