Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-24
VETS HOPE TO FREAK DRY
MORALE BY SENATE GAINS
Numerical Computations Reveal Literary
Digest Poll Not True Forecast on
Next Congress.


the Democrats did, however, at the Sen.
atorial primary on the 18th Of this
month, constituted longer step to.
ward wetness than any one event that
has occurred In Ohio since 1920. The
Democratic vets searched out and
found in Ohio. as the Republican vets
found in New Jersey, q man of thu
highest character and standing, Cleve-
land lawyer named Robert j. Buckley.
They entered him in the primaries for
the Senatorial nop..nation. This one
wet ran against q field that included
four drys One wet running against
four drys had, Of course, tactical ad-
vantage. But the fact is, nobody except
the shrewdest observers expected Bulk
ley to win. His winning, by Q vote
practically twice that Of his nearest
dry competitor, was conspicuous sign
Of the strength of wet sentiment among
the Ohio Democrats.
AS things stand now, the Democrats
in Ohio have wet candidate for Sem
ator whose strength is by no means
confined to his wetness. Mr.. Bulkley's
presence in the Senate would be an ele.
walton OF that body. Such a man, OBJ.
viously. has good chance Of winning
whether he be wet or dry. And Il the
Democrats win the Ohio senatorial elec-
ton, the strength Of the vets In the
Senate will be increased, not only BY
one Senator numerically, but by Q man
with gifts that can win him widespread
public confidence.
Morrow Gain Not Numerical.
If one surveys all the possible wet
gains in the next Senate they make an
impressive showing. So far they are
say Is that In several States, and IN
both parties, vets have been nominated
as candidates for Senator who have q
strong chance of winning.
The most conspicuous Is Morrow Of
New Jersey. Morrow, 1t is true, would
not be q net gain to the vets In o ma.
merical sense, since 1t win be nothing
ator. Next, in Ohio, the Democrats
have nominated man who Is at once
wet and very able and who IL he should
be elected in November, will be o net
gain Of one to the vets.
In Oklahoma the Democrats have
nominated wet. Oklahoma Is .
doubtful State, and If the wet DEMO-
cratic candidate should win, he would
be q net gain to the vets in the Senate.
In Montana the Republicans have
nominated wet to run against the
dry Democrat, Senator Thomas y.
Walsh. Montana Is clearly doubtful
State (as between Republicans and
Democrats). and If the wet Republican
candidate should defeat Senator Walsh
that again would be q net gain Of one
in the Senate. (Further than this, thu
defeat Of Q conspicuous dry Democrat.
such as Senator Walsh Of Montana,
would have moral effect outside thu
State and would accelerate the present
tendency OF the Democratic party ma
In Nebraska, al IN Ohio, tfespsmo-,
Gratis have nominated q candidate for
Senator who is at once able and ex-
perienced, ex-senator Gilbert M. Hitch.
cock. II wet Democratic Candidate
Hitchcock should defeat dry Repub.
lican Republican nominally) Senator
Norris. here again would be net wet
gain Of one in the Senate.
Against these possible net gains for
She vets in the Senate there are no
corresponding dry gains. There Ia no
State as to which q Senate seat now
held by wet is apt to be displaced by
dry.
Vets Might Gain Votes.
II we assume that In all the Sena-
torial elections mentioned above the
wet candidate should win, and II the
vets get similar advantages in primaries
yet to be held-in that event the net
addition to wet strength In the Senate
would be about five.
II we translate this into numerical
figures in the Senate, it doesn't 60 very
lar. The Senate consists of SO men.
II we try to separate them into vets
and drys, there Is a margin Of 5 or 8
that cannot be classified positively
either way. Omitting this half dozen
or so, 1t Is very close to accurate to
say that In the Senate as now con-
stituted there are about 20 drys and
about 20 vets. Assume that the vets
make all the gains Of Senate seats
they can possibly gain in the coming
November elections, and there win still
be 66 drys to Is vets.
election, in series of elections that
occur only once every two years-that
Is q snailS-gait progress for the vets.
At that rate it would take the vets
90 years, assuming they should never
have q setback, to control two-thirds
OF the Senate-which they must corl-
troll before they can take even the first
step in repeating the eighteenth
amendment.
II you say this to the wet leaders
they reply that it won't work out THAI
way. It is not their expectation To
make their gains one Senator at 8
time, or five Senators at a time. Their
theory and their plan is that wet sem
timent shall make sporadic gains, elec-
ton by election, for a few years; that
after this has gone on for some time
politicians everywhere will take notice,
and that then there win be general
overturn.
I. There is much soundness in this
soundness Of the tactics, the vets are
making in this years primaries the
sort of sporadic gains that are likely
to impress politicians.