New Britain herald., 1930-09-25
VETS IN MAJORITY
 FOR REPEAL PLANK
(Continucd From First Page)


 national administration on prohibit tion announcements labored against a mounting tide of wet sentiment to- day as the state convention went into session.
 Champions or repeal boasted, as the delegates convened to adopt platform and to nominate a gover- nor and the rest of a state ticket, that they would control a clear ma jority on 'the first ballot and that they would force the choice of an anti-prohibition candidate and the insertion of a platform plank advo- eating repeal of the 18th amend ment.
 Overshadows Issues
 Tho fight over the prohibition plank overshadowed all other issues and, even the candidates. As an 11th hour conference broke up early to- day without agreement among the leaders on the wet sand dry issue, advocates of repeal hophesied they would have between 800 and 700 of the s91 votes from the outset.
 The threat to the steadfast dry policy of the party met uncompro- missing resistance from drys outside the party. but state republican lead CTS close to the national administra- tion, while urging that the platform remain in line with the dry attitude of the party nationally, looked for no widespread defection from repub- lican ranks if the convention should insist on wet plank and wet gu- bernatorial candidate.
 Charles H. Futile, United States district attorney, who advocates re- pel of the 18th amendment and the substitution of an amendment enabling state liquor control, held most of the interest as the partys nominee for governor.
 To Support Futile
 The repeal forces were prepared to support him, and many drys were not ready to support for the nomi- nation Attorney General Hamilton Ward of Buffalo, whose prhibition attitude was not defined. The w. C. T. U., active in the effort to obtain a dry plank or to have the party avoid a statement on prohibition in its platform, declined 10 throw it's strength to Ward, preferring to sup port a third party candidate.
 Former United States Senator James w. Wadsworth, championing cause which was credited with costing him reelection to congress four years ago, led the repeal forces into the convention and declared himself confident of an ample ma jor- ity.
 State Chairman William J. Maicr, emerging from the four hour con- ference of leaders, said nothing had been accomplished toward a general agreement on the repeal plank and that the proposal would go to the resolutions committee. Maier indi- cated he hoped the matter would be settled there without the question reaching the general session of the convention, but this hope appeared offset by his statement that Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler Columbia college head and wet leader, had threatened to bring the matter 10 the floor of the convention.
 Among those attending the con- ference were Senator John Knight, majority leader of the upper legis- lative house; Edmund I. MachoId. former state chairman; Senator Wadsworth: Sarah Schuyler Butler, vice chairman of the state commit tee and daughter of Dr. Butler; Rep resenmtive Betrand Smell, of Pots dam, and William H. Hill, leader of the dry Tier county delegation.
 Wet spokesmen have listed among the repeal plank group 352 votes from New York city: G2 from Erie county: more than 5O from Monroe county; 45 from Wcstchester and at least 30 of the 5a delegates from Onondaga.
 StimSOn Praises Record
 Henry l.. Stimson. secretary oi state, in the keynote address at the convention, today declared the Hoover administration by lcgisla- tive or executive action has re- deemed thirty-four of it's thirty, five campaign pledges,
 He made no mention of rrohihi- ton, one Of the major problems be- fore the conventions platform mak-