Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-27
Politics at Large
g. T.. Gould Lincoln.

Will Presoent-elect Hoover he more
successful In setting the fashion 10
be dry" In Washington and the rest of
the country than President Coolidge has
been? During the present administra-
ton there has been q determined effort
in high executive circles so set an cx-
ample nt sostsiniug nom the use o.
s'cconNc neVere oee, in 1901 Or q. wi |,
re Woo arc spi''t n he oGs iswS ano
the e;2 .s"nt1 e.lsnon enc 10 roe Con
sf;'utioI.. IN. nope @ss etcie $50
ie- ~"arr $50 ttEJ " might become
1sSoion&bie not TO serve cocktails, hlgn-
balls or other forms Of what has re-
Gently been called in the Senate debate
"the sunshine" Of life. But it has con-
tinued to q very considerable extent
merely to be q hope"
President Coolidge has been a stick
Ter always for the observance of the
prohibition laws He has frowned upon
the use of intoxicating beverages and
they have not been served at enter
tainments where the President has been
in attendance. or II they have been
served. 1t mas been surreptit.ouslv and
without the knowledge of the President.
*t**
The President elect Is one Of those
WIZ have lltCu up 10
prohibition law. tits said now that he
expects all the other officials of the
Government to do the same. Washing
ton and Washington society are filled
with men in official life. II it becomes
known that to serve cocktails. highballs
and the like. or even to partake of them
in other homes. means to fall out with
the President, and to fall out seriously,
there may be distinct change in the
atmosphere 1t is quite true that the
Chief Executive has no jurisdiction over
members of, Congress, wet or dry; that
members of Congress may continue to
vote dry and drink wet, or to vote wet
and abstain from drinking, without par
ticular interference on the part of the
Chief Executive. Possibly the patron
age club, which has been effective in
dealing with Congress in other matters
might be effective if swung by the
President over the heads OF members
who persisted In violating the spirit of
the dry laws.
1t Is true that the President may have
very few instances Of drinking come TO
his personal attention. If any. But If
it becomes known that any Official who
does not live up to the law is likely to
fall under the disapprobation Of the
decided effect.
X n X
Here in Washington there are many
"oases in the desert" some of them en-
tirely in conformity with the law. The
latter are found in the embassies and
legations OF foreign governments. The
law permits the importation for these
foreign diplomats of intoxicating bev-
ond thnir alca uytthitx hn
baSsieS and legations. 1t may be said
in passing that the importations have
been considerable. 1t Is possible to
drink within the law in foreign lega-
ton. Some Of the more rabid drys have
insisted that even the embassies and
legations should be dried up. They have
quoted the old saw, when in Rome
do as the Romans do" and have para
phraSed it to read, When in America
be dry as the Americans are dry" II
Is quite true that many Americans are
not dry, but are wet with great per-
sistence. But, at least, the laws are dry
~ x*
prohibition laws Is to say that the dry
laws are violated constantly by many
OF the best people in the land; that
members of Congress and high Govern
ment officials are among the offenders
NOT now and then. but as a rule
Even leading drys in Congress have
agreed that there is much truth in
these charges. Senator Jim" Reed of
Missouri recently sent cold shivers up
and down the backs of some of the Con-
gresSmen when he derided the drinking
drys"-meaning the men who voted for
the dry laws and continued to use
alcoholic beverages. He indicated that
he might have a list of these law vio-
lators-ineluding the vets who do not
obey the law. But Senator Reed al
layed their fears when he said that he
would never make public such list.
that he had never sunk SO low" as to
be a prohibition informer.
1t is evident, however. that unless
steps are taken in Government circles
to give an example of strict observance
of the dry laws, their enforcement will
be constantly more difficult. Senator
Rorah, ardent champion of the eigh-
tenth amendment and its enforcement,
replying to Mr.. Reed, declared that men
in public life could do more, sometimes,
by setting an example themselves in
obeying the law, than they could by
merely enacting laws and giving them
lip service.
%* X
The case of William S. Ware. Senator
elect from Pennsylvania, whose right to
seat in the Senate has been chal-
lenged on the ground that there was
fraud and corruption and the excessive
expenditures of money in the primary
which nominated him and the election
which followed, has definitely gone
over until the next Congress. This Is
due entirely to the fact that Mr. Ware
Is very Ill man and none of the Sem
ators cared to press the matter against
him at this time. Senator Norris of
Nebraska, however. has resolution
pending in the Senate denying MIR.
Ware seat in the Senate, and the spe-
cial committee which. considered the
Ware case is to be continued. II Mr..
Ware ever presents himself to be sworn
in as Senator, the resolution will be
raised against him. Senator Norris will
renew 1t in the next Congress.
1t is not clear whether the Ware case
Will come before the Senate during the
special session of Congress which is to
be held this Spring, or whether it will
be allowed to drag along until the reg
ular session in December, or even to
later date. Senator Norris publicly
recognized the fact that by letting his
resolution go over until the next Con-
gress he might face Senate more ia
vorable 10 seating Mr.. Ware, for there
are many changes In the personnel of
the upper house after March 4. But
there Is grave doubt among the Sem
ators that the Ware case will ever come
to vote in that body. The term for
which Mr.. Ware was elected runs until
March 4, 1885. If he continues to hold
on to the election certificate and no ac-
ton Is taken in the Senate by 1894, MIR.
Ware or another must make the race
for nomination and election to the Sem
ate.
Washington is about to lose one of
Its pastimes which has kept the wise
acres busy for the last three months
putting together a cabinet for President
elect Herbert Hoover BY Monday. or