Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-24

EHorts TO establish a third national
political party are studied by the public
with an open mind, but the idea has
failed to make much progress AS the
strongest support for the proposed or
ganization comes from members of the
Association Against the Prohibition
Amendment, it is held by critics that
its plan of campaign would be too re-
stricted. There is also belief that it
will be hard to overthrow the two-party
system.
However perturbed the politicians in
Washington may be at the prospect of
a third party" advises the Baltimore
Evening Sun, I'VE are certain that the
astute gentlemen conducting the affairs
OF the Association Against Prohibition
Amendment have no such half-baked
idea in mind. These gentlemen have
had the advantage of a close study of
the methods by which Volsteadism was
brought into being in this country and
they know 1t was not done by the Pro-
hibition party. On the contrary, Vol
steadism was brought into being by a
group of hard-headed practical politi-
clans whose chief accomplishment was
its ability to make the representatives of
both the existing parties toe the mark.
The Anti-Saloon League never asked
what were the political affiliations of
an aspiring candidate. 1t asked only
If he would vote dry. And it was by
opposing the wet candidates and sup
porting the dry candidates that it
finally achieved its victory. The best
chance of beating the Apti-Saloon
League is by adopting Anti-Saloon
League methods, and the men behind
the Association Against the Prohibition
Amendment know it. They will not be
led astray by idealistic talk about
third party"
Considering the question whether the
new organization will take the field as
a political party or will attempt to
function politically as the Anti-Saloon
League of America does" the Chat
tanooga Times comments: Should 1t
adopt the latter course, that of making
its influence felt in congressional pri-
maries and elections and in the halls
Of Congress, it will no doubt give many
congressional candidate and many
member of the National Legislature
troubled hours, and 1t may influence the
course of legislation. Should it under
take the role of political party, putting
its own candidates in the field, there is
no telling what the result might be.
although the general view seems to be
that the movement would have little
chance of succeeding The Situa-
ton Is one which becomes increasingly
interesting. and it Is also one which will
bear watching. The obvious way for the
Democratic and Republican parties to
avoid the threat of a real third party
is for both of them to return to their
fundamental principles. But party lines
have become so criss-croSsed and in
cArN sN,cf ca Arlx
it is perhaps too much to expect any
such happy developments"
X X
every vote in Congress on prohibi-
ton or any phase of it." according to
the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. "empha-
sizes the fact that party lines on this
fundamental national issue have long
since gone by the boards. If there is a
proposal to transfer enforcement di-
rection from one department to an
other, or to apply more rigorous penal
ties, or to make the buyers guilt
equal to that of the seller, there are no
Republicans or Democrats. but only
vets and drys." The Post-Gazette con-
tirues: Col. Samuel Harden Church,
In his suggestion of new party. takes
advanced ground to which, for the pres
ent at least, few are likely to follow.
Tradition holds strong. and organiza-
tons. that have been built up over a
long period of years and reach down to
every voting district of the Nation will
not be abandoned nor allowed to col
lapse overnight. But there are many
who believe that the Importance of
prohibition is such that 1t will force
important realignments in national
politics in the next 10 years"
Pointing out that Mr.. Church's plan
is to draw the liberal element from both
the old parties" the Pasadena STAR
News contends: "There may be or there
may not be need of a new political
party but most assuredly any party
hoping to succeed would have to be a
broad-gauge organization with truly
national detectives and with principles
and ntpposals which would appeal ia
yorahlT to the masses Of the neople y