Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-24
NebraSkan Declares PreSl.
dent Is ''LiabIe to Be a
Democrat Any Day."
STATEMENT MADE AFTER
WOOD SUPPORTS LUCAS
Director Says He Spent $3.50 to
Combat Raskob and Wet Or
ganization Campaign.
BY the Associated Press.

~ the Associated PreSS.
The Norris-Lucas conflict swung to-
ward the White House today, with spec
ulation turning on how soon President
Hoover would take a hand.
Senator Norris, the Republican in
dependent from Nebraska, whose custer
from party ranks is sought by Robert
H. Lucas. executive director of the Re-
publican National Committee, turned
his latest attack directly on the Chief
Executive, questioning his Repub-
licanism.
This statement came after Repre-
sentative Wood of Indiana. chairman
of the Republican Congressional Com
mittee, announced yesterday from the
White House steps he was supporting
Lucas, and denounced Norris as CON
summate demagogue."
"The Republican party belongs to
the rank and file," said Norris in talk
ing to newspaper men, who gave him
the news of Woods attack Mr.. Wood
and Mr.. Lucas, even though backed UP
by Mr.. Hoover, do not constitute the
Republican party. I was fighting for
the Republican party when Mr.. Hoover
himself was resident and voter of
Great Britain.
Liable to Turn Democrat.
"Mr. Hoover Is most liable to be a
Democrat any day. When he came to
this country from Great Britain he was
Democrat, accepting Office as a Demo-
crat. He remained a Democrat until
the Republicans came in power, and
when he accepted office under the Re-
publicans he automatically became q
Republican.
II have never found fault with that.
I concede his right to change his po-
litical aff1liation every time he changes
Office If he wants to, but I haven't
found it necessary myself"
Lucas issued another statement last
night through the Republican Ma
tional Committee, making clear that he
spent only $3.50 against Senator Norris
and again insisting mo one else has
any responsibility In the matter what
Soever"
Senator Norris cannot understand
why I would personally spend that
much money for the Republican party"
continued Lucas. "Of course, Senator
Norris would not understand why any
body would spend that much for the
Republican party.
citation Against the Prohibition amend
ment were throwing thousands of dol
lars into the campaign against our Re-
publican senatorial and congressional
candidates in number Of States. There
] was no money being spent by any
counter organization to combat it.
Prohibition Not Issue.
Prohibition was not an issue through
out the country, but was confined to
certain States and districts, and the
Republican National Committee was
not at liberty to take a hand in the
wet and dry fight. undertook to make
an effort to offset the hurtful effect of
the hundreds of thousands of dollars
spent by Mr.. Raskob and the Associa-
ton Against the Prohibition Amend
ment by using cartoon which called
attention to the evils of the barroom
and giving publicity to Mr.. Raskob's
slogan adopted by him when he said:
Il am accepting the Craftsmanship of
the Democratic National Committee to
help Al Smith rid the country of this
damnable prohibition.
THE cartoons were used in States
where Mr.. Raskob and the Association
Against the Prohibition Amendment
were spending thousands of dollars
against our Republican candidates"
Lucas formally offered the records
of the Republican National Committee
to the Senate Campaign Funds Commit
tee for examination and also demanded
that the committee inspect the books
of the Democratic National Committee,
the Democratic Senatorial Committee,
John j. RaSkob and the Association
Against the Prohibition Amendment.
, Curran Makes Statement.
Henry H. Curran, president Of the
Association Against the Prohibition
Amendment, last night issued state
ment asserting that his organization
did not spend single dollar in the
Nebraska senatorial campaign, either
for or against Senator Norris or any
body else"
II am beginning to wonder how much
Lucas and Fess are helping the Repub-
good deal of campaigning in my time,
but the secret circulation of bar room
cartoons is new one on me-"
Senator Norris asserted the oppoSi-
ton to himself comes mostly, # not
entirely, because I have refused to
follow President Hoover when thought
he was wrong.
His opposition is not because am
not a good Republican" continued the
NebraSkan. "That is only a subter-
fuge. His opposition is because on
fundamental issues like farm relief and
conservation of national resources I
have not agreed with him"
Norris reiterated he had no complaint
against any one who opposed him, but
L do condemn the cowardly, under
handed, dishonest means they have
descended to in fighting me-"