The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1930-09-01

Opposed to Prohibition filed with the secretary
OF state petition signed by 100000 men and
: women voters asking that this question of pub
y lie policy be placed upon the ballot.
Again in 1925 this organization backed referen-
dunn under the So-called Public Policy Act which
submitted virtually the proposition which is to
be submitted as question No. in the election No
Vember 4.
The literature of the Association invariably stress
es referenda the big talking point the major item
IN its strategy to budgeon repeal of Illinois prohib-
ton laws through the legislature For three success
sive sessions 1925-27-29) measures were introduced
backed by the Association Opposed to Prohibition to
repeal the So-called Search and Seizure law" and
the Illinois Prohibition Act In the last two sessions
a referendum clause was attached to the BILL but
each time the senate blocked the passage of these
repeaers And the election of legislature to kill
any similar measure which may be introduced next
winter the biggest issue facing the state of Illinois
today The vets within five votes of success in
the 1929 session of the legislature.
We repeat: the strategy of the vets is to break
down successful enforcement and eventually repeal
the Eighteenth Amendment by program of repeal
and notification, state by state They are openly,
brazenly calling upon the states to repeal their pro-
hlbltlon laws. Five states, Montana, Nevada Wis
consin, Maryland and New York, without any
laws to enforce the eighteenth Amendment to the
constitution. Illinois is deemed by them to be one of
the most likely to follow the Wisconsin repeal &C
complished two years ago. The national Association
Against Prohibition in charge of the fight in the
Illinois legislature brought of their national
quite apparent that they focusing the strength
of their national organization upon Illinois. There
isn't any doubt but that to win Illinois would out
weigh any other accomplishment within the realm
Of possibility in the furtherance of the present wet
objective.
This was the setting of the stage in Illinois when
the Democratic and Republican state conventions
met in Springfield in August. The Democrats disre-
garding the attitude and interests of thousands of
dry voters in the party adopted out and out wet
platform. The Republicans, dsregarding the atti-
tude and interests of thousands of dry voters in their
party, wrote referendum proposition into their
platform. Chicago wet Republican leaders dictated
and wrote the plank on prohibition, which, in part,
follows:
The Republican state convention adhering to
the doctrine of majority rule, pledges it's repre-
sentatives in the congress of the United States
to vote consistently to carry out fully the ex-
pressed will of the people of their districts at the
referendum on these questions of public policy
in the election of November f. 1880.
While this PLANK it will be noted does not attempt
to bind candidates for the state legislature to vote
for repeal of prohibition laws its sponsors and the
leading candidate the ticket the aspirant for the
United States Senate, who is for the referendum,
cannot escape responsibility for leadership in such