Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-18
The Political Mill
By C. Could Lincoln.

Judge William OldTk Oh Ltle OIl1ISO
States District Court at Newark, de-
claring that the eighteenth amendment
had not been properly ratified, be
upheld by the Supreme Court, the drys
would have all their work for national
prohibition to do over again. 1t might
be an insurmomtable task for them, in
view of the evident change in sentiment
in many communities regarding national
prohibition. Congress would first have
to adopt another resolution by a two
thirds vote of each House, to submit a
prohibition amendment to the States,
and then it would be necessary to elect
delegates to a convention in each of
36 States willing to ratify the pro-
posed amendment. The referendum
for which the vets and drys have been
clamoring-some of them-on the sub
ject of national prohibition would be-
come reality, under such conditions.
One dry leader, Dr. Ernest Cherrington,
has estimated that it would cost the
drys $25,000,000 to put on Nation
wide referendum on the subject of
prohibition.
X X 4 X
There is no doubt that the great
majority of the people would be SUR
prised if the Supreme Court upheld
the contention of Judge Clark that the
eighteenth amendment had not been
ratified. But if the decision of the
lower court should be upheld it would
create a stir such as has seldom rocked
this country in its entire history.
There seems no doubt but what the
wets-the opponents Of national pro-
hibition-Would put up an even more
strenuous fight than they did prior to
the adoption of the eighteenth amend
ment to prevent its resubmission to
the States. Members of the Senate
and House would be compelled to meet
the issue. And finally the people
themselves would have to take a hand
in the matter, if the Congress should
by two-thirds vote of each house sub
NIT proposed amendment.
Thirteen States, through their con-
ventions failing to support new pro-
hibition amendment, would be sufff-
Gent to block ratification. With anti
prohibition sentiment showing strongly
in New York, New Jersey, Maryland,
Massachusetts,, Rhode Island, Con-
necticut, Delaware, Illinois. Wisconsin,
Montana, Nevada and growing in Ohio,
California and Washington, the task of
getting three-fourths of the States to
ratify national prohibition again would
be no mean one.
Furthermore, the form in which the
prohibition amendment might be SUBJ
mitted to the people perhaps would be
modified from the present eighteenth
amendment. Certainly efforts would
be made to have it modified, if it were
to be submitted.
Perhaps the declaration Of the Su-
preme Court that the eighteenth amend
ment had not been properly ratified
would take the liquor issue temporarily
cut of national and congressional cleo
fnr1c NJ rrivF ~
their candidates chance to think of
other issues in 1882. But even so
the lull in the battle over prohibition
would be only temporary, and it Is
doubtful that any lull would ensue.
X X x X
The Illinois State Legislature will have
to tackle soon the question of repeal
of the State prohibition enforcement
law. Opponents of prohibition are ex-
pected to bring the issue to the front
in the light of the Statewide referen-
dunn conducted at the time of the No
vember elections. The people of ILL.,
nois had three questions before them al
the time. The three wet proposals were
adopted by the following votes:
Repeal of the eighteenth amendment
Yes, 1,054,432; no, 551, 741; majority
500, SOL.
Modifcation-Yes, s6S,652; no, $685.
973; majority, 461 ,679.
Repeal of the Illinois prohibition act
Yes, 1060,o04; no, 523,130; majority
536,864.
Also in the senatorial election J.
Ham" Lewis. Democrat and wet, was
elected over Mrs. Ruth Hanna McCor-
mick, Republican, who had Straddleo
the issue of wet and dry, by a vote OF
1922 to 687,469 with Mrs. Lottie
Holman O'Neill, who few the flag of the
Anti-Saloon League, receiving only
SO 485 votes.
Despite the wet victory in the Illinois
referendum, the Anti-Saloon League Is
calling upon the. State Legislature tt
ignore the results of that referendum
The league contends that "the people
did not vote" It asserts that the vote
cast in favor of repeal in 1890, an "oh
year." does not equal majority of the
vote cast in the presidential vote OF
1928, when the greatest vote in the his
tory of the country was cast in the
presidential election.
X X \
In the past other efforts have been
made to repeal the State enforcement
law in Illinois. The State Senate
dominated by the Republicans, has beer
the stumbling block, although the House
had put through repeal bills in the
1927 and 1929 sessions of the State
Legislature. The Republican State
Convention this year declared that the
@. o. P. would abide by the decision oil
the people in the referendum on pro-
whether the G. o. p will go through
with this promise. What 1t does in
the premises may have an important
bearing on the presidential election IN
1882. Illinois has always been conSid-
cred great Republican stronghold
The Illinois delegation to the next Re-
publican National Convention may be a
big factor in the nomination of candi-
dates and in the adoption of a party
platform. Certainly there was a great
political upheaval in Illinois last Fall
Prohibition was not the only issue by
jugful. Hard times, the drought,
etc, had their effect on the voters But
there is enough wet sentiment in the
State TO give the Republican leaders
there and in the Nation something to
think about.
The Democrats in North Carolina
who remained loyal to the Smith ROB
inson presidential ticket in 1928 are
asking the Senate to turn down the
nomination of Frank r. McNinch, anti
Smith Democratic leader in that year,
who has been appointed a member of
the new Federal Power Commission by
President Hoover. McNinch won the
first round in the fight yesterday when
the Senate Interstate Commerce Com
mittee, by vote of to S, voted to re-
port his nomination favorably to the
Senate. Two Democrats on the COM
mittee, Wheeler of Montana and Bark
ley of Kentucky, voted with seven Re
publicans, including the Progressive
Republican members of the committee,
in favor of McNinch. Tt looks as
though McNinch had more than an
even chance for confirmation by the
Senate itself AS a matter of fact. Nc
Ninch helped himself greatly by his