Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-23
PROHIBITION URGED
ASELECT|ON ISSUE.
La Guardia Asks VETS to Ac-
cept Drys' Challenge in
Congressional BalIoting.
By the Associated Press.


congressional elections was proposed
yesterday by Representative La 0uardia,
Republican, of New York, as drys and
vets expressed divergent views on pos
sible results Of the hearings before the
House judiciary committee.
The vets declared they were con-
WINGED the hearings had proved the dry
law had broken down and that the
only question was remedy. The dryS
commended their testimony showed the
country had prospered under the
eighteenth amendment and that the
hearings had resulted solely In a stimu-
lation of their activities for its continu-
ance.
While these views were being made
known, @. S. Jameson, clerk OF the
Judiciary committee, announced that
the vets had appeared before the group
for 90 hours and 80 minutes IN seven
days, while the drys had testified for
90 hours and 8 minutes. The drys are
to have Wednesday in which to end
their argument and the vets are 70
have an opportunity to offer rebuSeal
testimony only on matters presented py
the drys.
In letter to Henry H. Curran, presi-
dent of the association against the pro-
hibition amendment, La Guardia SAID
the challenge fiung down by the drys
before the committee that the majority
Of the members Of Congress were dry
must be accepted by the vets at the
coming election.
Asks Candidates Attitude.
Regardless Of party afiliation, he
wrote, the association should demand
that every candidate for O seat IN Con.
gress declare his position Is either wet
or dry.
Speaking for the vets, Representa-
tive Ldnthicurn, Democrat, Of Maryland,
head Of the House wet bloc, declared
the hearings had been "edueaticnal"
"The drys failed to shake the teSti-
horrible conditions brought about by
the dry laws" he said.
people to the racketeering, bootlegging,
Increased drinking and disregard Of law
due to prohibition.
"They viii force the candidates In
the next congressional election to come
out in the open to make known
whether they are wet or dry"
On the other hand. Representative
Hudson, Republican, of Michigan, O
dry leader, said the hearings proved
that the great middle class Of people
still are as strong for prohibition as
ever"
"The class Of peOple to which daily
toll means northing," he added, "con-
personal desires"
The hearing also proved, he said,
that the dry laws would not be modified.
THE most significant thing the hear.
ing brought about" Hudson continued,
twas the placing before the American
people Of the proper position Of ex.
President william Howard Taft on the
eighteenth amendment after Il had
been enacted"
Views Differ ON Hearings.
Taft's brother, Horace D. Taft Of
Watertown, Conn.,. presented the views
the amendment the last years OF his
life. -
Representative Sparks, Republican,
Of Kansas, dry on the Judiciary COM
mittee, said the hearings had been
education and good for both sides Of
the controversy"
Sparks held the view that prohibition
would not be an issue In many Of the
Mdvestsrn State congressional elsc-
Representative McKsown, Democrat,
OF Oklahoma, another dry on the com.
naittee, said the hearings would make
"the dry districts more flrm for dry
candidates, and the wet districts more
wet for wet candidates"
Representative McKeown has been
discussing q plan with several members
Of the House which IL designed to
liberaiize the procurement Of medicinal
liquor under existing dry laws. He said
yesterday, however, that 1t was nebulous
and that he was not inclined to give it
serious consideration at the present
time.
Under the plan drug stores In States
permitting the sale Of prescription
liquor In drug stores would be author
ized to sell liquor to persons who made
written application for It. Purchases
would be limited to small quantities
daily. The purpose Of the plan, as out
eliminate the bootlegger by permitting
the sale Of liquor ct price with which
the bootiegger could not compete.
Drys Indifferent 70 Proposal.
McKeown said the drys with whom
he conferred did not seem inclined to
approve Of the plan.
In his letter to Mr.. CurraY, La
Guardia said heretofore candidates for
Congress had been pressed by active dry
organizations while The vets voted for
party candidates regardless Of their dry
pledges.
"a clean cut issue must be joined IN
the coming congressional election" he
wrote. either Q candidate 10 q wet OF
q dry. Present conditions would indi-
cate that there will be no great eco
non1ic or political issue on which the
two great parties viii divide In the COM
ing election. The time Is most oppor-
tune to go to the people on the prohibit