Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-23
DRYS, ROUSED BY LOSSES, PUT
NEW VIM IN PR OF1IBITION FIGHT
Country Corners Being Organized to Stem
Wet Tide-Foes Lining Up Youth
In Crusaders Campaign

These gains among successive fresh
crops Of new f1rst-time voters are at
the heart of the intense worry felt by
Republican managers in debatable
States such as Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island, New York, New Jersey, Ohio.
Illinois.
The effects of these developments on
the two great national political parties
are diSsimilar. The Democratic party
at the moment seems to grow wetter,
while the Republican party in its CEN
to be growing only more puzzled and
panied. A local cynical jester at both
parties has extremely declared: 1.-THE
vets are giving the Democrats delirium
tremens and the Republicans paralysis
agitans."
The reason for the difference is to
be sought in the solidity of the Solid
South. Most Democratic leaders think
that the Solid South will bolt no Demo-
cratic platform and no Democratic
candidate in 1882, however wet. They
declare that it took religion and
tammany as well as wetness to pro-
duce Southern bolt in 1923.
Believe Bolt Rebuked.
They declare that even that bolt has
now been rebuked by the defeat and
political extinction of Senator Simmons
of North Carolina and of Senator
Helm of Alabama They note that
even Representative Ross Collins of the
fifth congressional district of Mississippi,
who is as astute and as popular a poll
teal character as exists in any con-
greSSional district in the county, was
obliged actually to undertake the ex-
ertion of strenuously campaigning for
denomination because of having been
merely suspected of disaffection from
They contend that 1t will be MANY
years before again there will be any
''irregularity' in the Southland.
They therefore conclude that, with
the solid South automatically in the
basket, they can safely wade out and
fish with wet fly for amphibian cleo
toral votes in the doubtful North.
The situation of the Republican
party is of wholly another sort. DEM
ocratic vets and Democratic drys, gen.
orally speaking, are segregated into
geographical sections. They could
unite conceivably on a wet candidate
for the Presidency, while simultane-
ouSly they could send dry Senators and
dry Representatives to the Congress
from the South and wet Senators and
from the North without any great local
dissensions within their ranks.
G. o. p. Situation Different.
This advantage the Republicans do
not share Wet sentiment divides them
net so much sectionally as precisely
and disruptively locally. In at least 10
Northern States, If they go DRY they
encounter the chance OF losing Re-
publican boilers to the Democrats, and
If they 60 wet they encounter the
chance Of losing dry Republican voters
to the independent dry candidate.
In these circumstances the Republic
can party remains uncomfortably poised
nationally on a swaying tripod of full
enforcement" and modification" and
repeal" with the advocates Of each
leg Of the tripod :t.-:::s"s::::g to make 1t
into the party's sole support for dig
nified and impressive throne of judg-
ment and decision and leadership.
Neutral political observers here tend to
unite on Just one prospective calcula-
ton.
They hold that the final results OF
1892 are yet in the hands OF the vast
nllltitudes of voters who are waver1ng
between knowing whether they are wet
or dry or neither or both. They hold
that this confusion works for the Demo-
Gratis because voters IN 0lScontenG ana
in doubt move normally toward the
opposition party. They hold that Presi-
dent Hoover's one great saving opportu-
nifty is to announce himself definitely
for some distinct point of view. what
ever it may be. and to fight for it and
to try to swing the wavering into line
for 1t.
They hold that indecisiveness about
the tariff was disastrous in the congress
sional elections of this month and that
indecisiveness about prohibition would
be equally disastrous in the presidential
election of year after next. They know
that representations in this sense will
be increasingly pressed upon the Presi-
dent by Republican party leaders. They
expect him soon to decide whether to
speak and suffer the consequences or to
fail to speak and perhaps suffer worse
ones.
(Copyright, 1o3o)