Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-07
BY WILLIAM HARD.


The Anti-Saloon League Is fighting a
fight in Illinois to maintain its In
fluence In the Republican National Con-
vention Of 1882 and to prevent the Re-
publican party as a national organiZa-
ton from declaring in favor of the
submission of the whole Federal pro-
hibition question to new national
referendum.
The league has not the slightest hope
that 1t can elect Mrs Lottie Holman
ONeill, whom 1t has Endorsed for United
States Senator in Illinois against Ruth
Hanna Mccormick, Republican NOM
inee, dry, and against James Hamilton
Lewis, Democratic nominee, wet. Mrs.
O'Neill was just this last Spring crush
ingly defeated for the Republican nomi-
nation in her local district for State
Senator, after having served for several
terms in the Lower House of the Illi-
nois State Legislature and after having
acquired Statewide prominence. She
was also defeated at the Republican
National Convention at Kansas City in
1923 for the post Of Republican Ma
tional Committeewoman from Illinois.
She is a woman of earnest convictions
and of considerable political experience.
but without the large-scale personal
support which she would have to have
throughout Illinois in order to arrive
at the top of the poll in November.
The utmost that the Anti-Saloon League
expects from her is that she may be
able to take enough Republican votes
away from Mrs. Mccormick to elect Mr..
Lewis and to teach the Republican
party lesson.
The immediate wisdom Of such q
course is called into much question by
people who do not realize that the
league Is pursuing a longtime policy.
The vote of Mr.. Lewis in the Senate
would be drippingly wet vote and
would 60 in that direction far beyond
any vote that would be cast in the Sem
ate by Mrs. Mccormick; but the Anti
Saloon League could watch that situa-
ton with equaninity because 1t long
ago abandoned all hope Of rescuing the
Democratic party in the North from
the dominant hold which the vets have
secured upon 1t. The league can ex-
pect little or nothing from the Demo-
cratic party nationally in the near fu-
ture. It is accordingly concentrating
upon the Republican party and is deter
mined to show it. If possible, that 1t
cannot continue to be a majority party
without Anti-Saloon League and Wom-
ems Christian Temperance Union sup
port.
1t is obliged, therefore, to try to pun
ish Mrs. Mccormick for announcing
that In a certain way and to a certain
extent she will abide by the outcome Of
the rum referendum to be held in Illi-
nois this Fall. Mrs. Mccormick will
advise the voters of Illinois TO vote dry
on the referendum but X they vote In
favor of the repeal of the eighteenth
amendment she will, in the Senate, II
elected to it, vote in favor of sending
from the Federal Congress to the State
Legislatures or to State conventions, in
harmony with the process ordained by
the Constitution, proposed constitu-
tlonal amendment for the amendment
of the eighteenth amendment in the
wet sense. She would thereupon, how
ever, retain her right, as a dry, to ad-
wise the State Legislature or the State
convention Of Illinois TO reject the pro-
posed amending amendment. All that
she, in fact, when her whole position is
sifted down to the grain of 1t, consents
to do for the vets II the Illinois refer
goes their way Is to vote In the Senate
to permit the State Legislatures or the
State conventions Of the United states
to pass once more upon the Federal pro-
hibition problem.
This however, is precisely what the
Anti-Saloon League is bound to try to
prevent. It led the way to Federal pro-
hibition and 1t is convinced that the
alleged failures and scandals of Federal
prohibition are only transitory. 1t
realizes that those alleged failures and
scandals have in the meantime pro-
duced unfavorable impressions in many
parts of the country and 1t does not
NJ ~ ~ national VHfH1rE
on Federal prohibition till those i'm
pressions have been, as 1t hopes, re-
moved. It therefore is resolved to re-
sist by every means in its power all IN
slant recourses to new popular express
sions of opinion whether by the country
as whole or by individual States.
In Illinois the league is engaged in
disparaging the Importance OF the APP
preaching referendum, which IT expects
to lose In that State and in spreading
the idea that the drys regard IT with
indifference and neglect 1t is urging
its adherents to FIX their eyes not on
referendums, but on candidates. It Will
be somewhat surprised, however, II It's
candidate, Mrs. O'Neill, should poll as
much as IS per cent of the total vote
cast In Illinois for United States Sena-
tor in November.
Four years ago, in New York State,
F. w. Christman, put up by the Anti
Saloon League to run for United States
Senator in opposition to James w.
Wadsworth, Republican wet, and to
Robert F. Wagner, Democratic wet.
polled less than 10 per cent OF the
total vote after q campaign in which
he had the benefit of supporting efforts
from prohibition speakers of high
national influence. Mr.. Christmans
small minority performance sufnced,
nevertheless. to defeat Mr.. Wadsworth
and to elect Mr.. Wagner by o narrow
margin.
In Illinois a similar outcome viii be
more difflcult for the Ar1ti-Saloon
League to accomplish Mrs. McCor-
mick, instead Of being, like Mr.. Wads-
worth, personal wet, is admittedly a
personal dry; and further, the proper
ton Of dry voters who will have TO be