The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1930-11-01

they won some notable victories. The vets
made a small but noticeable gain y the
house of representatives but made a net
loss of one in the United States senate.
The small wet gain in the house does not
justify any wet hope to modify or repeal
the Volstead law and the enemies Of pro-
hibition are not within hailing distance Of
the necessary tWo-thirdS vote 10 submit a
resolution calling for the repeal Of the
Eighteenth Amendment.
SMALL GAIN ENCOURAGES VETS
And yet it is folly to refuse 10 recognize
the heartening effect TO the vets of last
Tuesdays wet victories. The chief value
of these victories lies not so much in the
few additional wet votes for modification
or repeal measures which they bring as in
the psychological effect they may have
upon those who are working for the over
throw of the national prohibition policy.
November Is elections perhaps afford the
vets the greatest encouragement they
have had since the national dry law be-
came operative For the first time they
can point to election returns in some con-
gressional districts in support Of their
oft-repeated assertions that public sem
timent has turned in favor of repeal. The
drys may counter this argument by call
ing attention 10 the fact that other issues
entered largely into these election con-
tests-the tariff, unemployment. business
depression and in many instances issues
of local charaeter-but Notwithstanding
all this, the fact remains that the vets
have made some gains.
Is there any assurance that in two years
hence when another national congress
and the president of the United States
will be elected that there viii be no issue
or issues that might weigh more heavily
with dry voters than the issue of prohi-
bition in determining their choice of cam
didates? The drys must be prepared to
hold the line for prohibition in spite OF
any and all issues that may arise to dis
tract the dry voters attention Last Tues
days election is warning that ought to
Jar every dry from lethargy into a fun
and complete understanding that the
fight against the liquor traffic is not yet
won.
VETS OBJECTIVE, 1882 ELECTION
The vets are working confidently and
expectantly for the election of a wet
president in 1892. They fully expect to
greatly increase their voting strength in
congress in that election and in the mean
time they will initiate referenda calling
for repeal OF the state enforcement law
in each state where they feel they have
even 1alIb GUNNER OF nope u SuCCSSS'
Encouraged by the election of Mr.. Bulk
ley in Ohio, the wet candidate for United
States senator, they have announced their
intention of calling for referendum in
that state and no doubt they will bring
on similar contests in other states.
EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN Is
NECESSARY
The mandate to the drys Is clear. They
must reorganize as in the days Of the
great offensive drive that eliminated IN
the writing of the Eighteenth Amend
ment into the constitution. County or
carnations must be revived In every state
and a persistent, unceaSing campaign Of
education be carried on through these or
carnations for the next two years.
WET AND DRY LINEUP IN
CONGRESS
On the whole the drys won n1cfe cat
standing victories than did the wets last
Tuesday. They elected cop/fess whose
membership is but little loss than three
fourths dry and senate whose member
ship is nearly four-f films dry. At this
writing there are still d few congressional
districts where the results are in doubt
awaiting official Zcounts, but giving the
vets the full bey4eflt Of all doubtful dis
tricts, giving Uem every known and every
doubtful wet. they will probably not be
able to mVter more than l39 out of the
435 In tb. senate, counting known vets
and doV,tfu members, they viii not be