The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-09-05
old FRIENDS
TURN AGAINST
DRY LEAGUE
Anti Saloon Organization to
Face Bitter Conflicts in
Several States.
HITS MRS. MCCORMICK
Attitude Taken in Illinois
May Doom Hopes of
Woman Candidate.

BIZ ScripDs-Houdrd Newspaper AUiance
WASHINGTON, Sept. 5.-For the
first time in many years the Anti
Saloon League today finds sitself
facing political Reputation in many
states where it once dominated n
or both the major political parties
in naming candidates and framing
platforms.
1t virtually has been forced into
the role of a punitive organization,
bent on running its own indie
pendent nominees in an effort to
brighten TIE politicians back into
line.
More important still. it now is
on the outside looking in as far
as the Republican party is con-
cerned, although it was among this
group outside the south that it
once exercised tremendous power.
Even the extreme attitude of the
Hoover administration on "the
noble experiment" has been power
less to keep G. o. P. organizations
and prominent candidates from in-
dorsing the wet cause or Offer
ing to abide by popular %referenda
on the subject.
Representative Ruth Mccormick.
Republican senatorial candidate in
Illinois, is the latest to develop a
GOODNESS toward the professional
prohibitionists, but others more
closely associated with the dry
cause set her the precedent.
Jones and Walsh Weaken
Senator Wesley Jones Rep.,
Wash.1, author of the fve-and-ten
Flaw; Senator Walsh dem, Month,
the drys' great lawyer in the senate,
and Senator Sheppard Dem., Tex.),
author of the eighteenth amend
ment itself, have declared they
would obey the mandates of their
states.
The drys' %predicament is evil
denced by the fact that they may
place a prohibition candidate in the
field in retaliation against Mrs.
Mccormick, which is in striking
contrast to the silence with which
they met similar statements by the
other three advocates Of prohibi-
ton.
Though they supported the femi-
nine candidate for the senate in the
primary, and her opponent, ex-
Senator ]. Ham Lewis, is a wiring
ing wet" they feel called upon to
punish through her all who agree to
vote wet" at behest of the voters.
They did not, however, declare
war on Walsh, Sheppard and Jones.
This is interpreted by the "wets' as
evidence that they look for Illinois
to vote against prohibition, as it did
once before, and for Mrs. McCor-
mick to be numbered among the po-
litical foes of the dry laws if she
reaches the senate.
Fear Sentimental Effect
It is believed the drys also fear
the effect on more than 100 middle
west members of congress that her
change of sentiment would have.
For the first woman to enter the
senate as an advocate of repeal
would be regarded as both a politi-
cal and sentimental blow at prohi-
bition.
The punitive nature of their
movement against her is seen in the
possibility that it may elect Lewis.
Any serious division of the Repub-
lican vote in the rural sections Of
the state might enable the Demo-
cratic candidate to slide through to
victory on the votes of Democrats
and Republican "wets."
Should the drys' tactics result in
the defeat of Mrs. Mccormick, it
probably would cause retaliation by
the Republican organization, in
Guiding her friends and the "wets,"
as it did when they defeated x
Senator Wadsworth in New York in
1926. In any event, the league seems
bound to offend elements which pre-
viously have supported it's aims in
the Illinois legislature and at
Washington.
FIgntS dwight MOrrOW
In New Jersey, too, the league Is
bucking the regular Republican or
%ganization with it's Opposition TO
the senatorial ambitions Of ambas-
sador Dwight Morrow. Even Rep-
fesentative Franklin Fort, who lost
to Morrow in the primary, has de-
clared he would suppress his ex-
IRENE prohibition views and support
the nominee. The leagues efforts
in that state are said to have given
offense to thousands who once ap-
proved its general program.
The anti-salooners also have
gained the hostility Of a powerful
Republican faction in Colorado,
where it is supporting William v.
Hodges in the Republican senatorial
primary, Sept. 9, and the state SUI
p~erintendent has been charged with
selling wildcat oil stock. The group
attacking the league includes Car
ence G. Hamlin, national commits
teeman, and influential hackers Of
George H. Shaw, who is said to have
the favor Of the utility interests in
his race against Hodges.
Wadsworth has modified his
forces against the drys' attempted
domination of the New York Repub-
lican convention, to be held late this
month. The former senator has de-
clared he would not support the
G. 0. P. candidate for Governor Il
he were a dry or ran on a dry plat
form. Representative F. H. La
Guardia also has announced he
would seek reelection as an "inde-
pendent" rather than a Republican
if his party catered to the league.
Miller Estate Opened