Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-03
Politics at Large
By G. Could Lincoln.

6Catc pfOnlpltlon enforcement act. AL
the wet spots are by no means .sdries
up" yet, and Milwaukee Is distinctly
one Of them. However, even In thiI
defeat Of the drys In the State Wild,
referendum held yesterday on tn,
question OF repeating the State prohi
bition enforcement act and on o firthel
question Of eliminating punishment TO
making and selling ATS per cent beer
there Is q silver lining for the drys. Tw,
years ago, there was State-wid,
referendum on the prohibition questio,
ana the vets won out with q lead O
approximately l72,000 votes. In tn
referendum held yesterday, the wet lead
when the votes are all counted, may no
exceed $4,000. That may be enough
to satisfy the vets, but the decrease II
their plurality and the increase in tn
dry vote cast are likely to be seized upoi
by the prohibitionists to prove tina
support for the dry laws Is gaininl
ground, even in the Badger State.
+ $50
The referendum taken yesterday OF
the repeal Of the State enforcement &C
Is not binding upon the State Legis
lature, but merely advisory. It is likely
1t is said, however, that the Legislator,
will be guided by the referendum re.
suit, unless there should be real up
heaval to prevent the repeal. Tit
State voted for President Hoover las
November and against former Gov
Smith Of New York, who was the wet
hope Of the country In the presidential
contest. President Hoover, In his inau'
gural address, strongly declared thai
the duty Of the States was to join with
the Federal Government In the enforce.
ment Of national prohibition. New
York and Maryland, for example, have
no State enforcement statutes. II Wis.
consin should join the list of State.
which decline to aid the Federal Gov.
eminent in the enforcement Of the
dry laws 1t would be a step backward
in the view Of those who support the
eighteenth amendment.
n ~
President Hoover is still looking fol
the right man to head the so-callec
National Crime Commission which he il
to appoint to investigate the whole sub-
ject of law enforcement in this country
including the dry laws. As soon as the
chairman has been selected the size OF
the commission will be determined
whether 5, Z, o, IL or whatever num-
Der may appear to be the most effec-
tive to the President and the man who
Is to head the commission. There Is
nc dearth Of well qualified material fol-
this commission, it is said. AS Presi-
dent Hoover has declared that the prob
lem Of law enforcement Is one Of the
gravest import to this country, it is
expected that the commission will be
appointed within a short time and be-
gin work.
The transfer Of the prohibition en-
forcement unit from the Treasury to
the Department Of Justice will require
an act Of Congress, 1t Is said. The
President has suggested in his inaugural
address that 1t would be wiser to place
the enforcement unit under the De-
partment of Justice, even before the
National Crime Commission makes itS
report. But whether this action will
be undertaken at the coming special
session of Congress remains to be seen.
1t Is q matter with which the House
and Senate leaders will have to deal
and they are seeking to keep the pro-
gram for the special session within
limits Of farm and tariff revision, and
one or two other subjects on the side
The result of the personal appeal
made to citizens OF goodwill" by Presi-
dent Hoover In his inaugural address
to turn their backs on violations Of the
liquor laws Is clearly having its effect
in Washington. and also in other parts
of the country. There has been O gen
eral tightening up Of enforcement
agencies and greater activity on the
part Of United States attorneys and
their assistants, 1t Is said here. How
ever. the Presidents appeal to law
abiding citizens to set an example In
their communities by living up to the
spirit and letter Of the dry laws Is be-
lieved to be as effective as, If not more
so than, the greater efforts of the Law
enforcement agencies. There Is report
for example, that in one of the exclu.
sive golf clubs near the Capital, which
has been frequented by members oil
Congress and high Government officials
the dictum has gone forth that the
members are to make no use Of hquol
any more In the locker room. This, 4
is said. Is partly out Of difference to thu
new Attorney General. who uses tht
golf course for his exercise. However
this may be. there are constant acces.
sions to the list of nouveau-drys II
Washington's social and oficial circles
and it may yet become fashionable *
be dry. 1t Is said.
Gov. Dan Moody of Texas, youthful
Democratic leader Of the State, ha
vetoed bill damned through the Stat,
Legislature by the sirnon-pure Demo
Gratis who supported Alfred e. Smitl
for President, which was aimed at tn
Democrats who voted in the Novembe
election for Herbert Hoover. The meas
ure sought to place in the hands o
the Democratic executive committee o
the State the power to pass upon tn
qualifications Of all voters In Demo
cratic primaries and of candidates TO
nomination for ONCE. II the measur
had been signed by the governor,
might have been used to prevent Hoo
yer Democrats from participating h
Democratic primaries or other part
affairs. The effect might well hav
been to throw a very large number o
Democrats permanently into the Re
publican party-Democrats whom tn
party leaders expect to win back Il
Democratic allegiance. Gov. Moody
veto Of the measure may make hin
some enemies, but his action reveal
his good sense.
There are Smith enthusiasts from
Texas who insist today that If MI
Smith Is the Democratic nominee TO
President In 1882 he will carry the Lon
Star State and all the rest of the Dem
ocratic States Of the South that he los
In 1928. These enthusiasts say tina
what Is needed Is organization; tina
there were hundreds Of thousands o
Democrats who failed to 60 to the poll
in the South and in Texas last No
venber who would turn out to vote TO
Smith In 1882. They regard the Smitl
campaign for President last year q
educational and contend that tn
former New York governor should hav
the benefit Of this campaign Of edu
cation.
- 4 4
In the meantime, Mr.. Smith Is stil
wrestling with the problem Of Demo
cratic politics In his own State, brough
to a head In the effort to pick ne,
leader Of Tmmany Hall. He is to re
turn to New York within few day
from New Jersey, where he has beel
resting and golfing. II Gov. Smitl