Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-06
IMPRESSIVE GAIN
IS MADE BY VETS
Democratic Policy Scores
Triumph; Roosevelt
Boom Certain.
BY MARK SULLIVAN

OF all the interpretations of this cleo
zion. one of the clearest is that the vets
have made impressive gains. The mean
ing Of this wet advance is more con-
crete and convincing with respect to
the Democratic party than with re-
spect to the Republicans.
The present wet party managers of
the Democratic party who have carried
the party thus far on the wet path
undoubtedly feel that the outcome has
justified their course. They have elect
ed a wet Democratic Governor of New
York by the largest majority ever given
a gubernatorial candidate in that state.
They have elected e, wet Democratic
Senator from Illinois by majority al
most incredible in such a normal Re-
publican stronghold. They have elect
ed a wet Democratic Senator from
Massachusetts, and have thus given
that state for the first time in its his
tory two Democratic Senators. They
have elected a wet Democratic Senator
in Ohio In Pennsylvania they have
come close to electing wet Democratic
Governor in a state that has not elected
q Democrat in 40 years.
Roosevelt Boom Certain
The sum of these and other advan-
tages won must be looked upon as JUS
tifying the present wet national man
agement of the party. The future
course plainly suggested to them is that
they nominate Governor Roosevelt for
President in 1882 and continue forward
on the wet path. Almost certainly that
course will be followed. 1t will be said
that the dry South will be an obstacle
The fact is that the Democrats are able
to straddle prohibition successfully be-
cause of the geographical distance be-
tween the two wings. The wet Demo-
cratic North is able to march shoulder
to shoulder with the dry Democratic
South because they co not interfere
with each other locally.
On Tuesday no dry Democrat IN the
South deserted his party because the
Northern wing is wet. Similarly, no
wet Democrat in the North deserted his
party because the Southern wing is dry.
Thus far everything seems prosperous
for the Democrats. If, however, we
consider what has happened in its
bearing on a solution of the prohibition
question, there is less promise. If there
is to be repeal of the prohibition
amendment, the repeal must start in
Congress.
Prohibition Troubles Seen.
The Democrats appear at this writ
ing to have elected about 2lO members
of the House out of a total of ABS.
When these 210 hold their first caucus
their troubles about prohibition will
begin and the country will realize the
solution of the question is still distant.
More than half of the 210 Democratic
Representatives will come from the ar
IDENTIFY dry South and from dry rural
portions of the North. In short, it is
difficult to imagine the Democrats in
Congress agreeing among themselves on
prohibition or having any clear policy
looking to a change in the present
status of prohibition.
This, however, will not appear for
10 months, because the Congress now
elected does not take Office until De-
cember, 1881. In the meantime and
for the present the Democrats win go
forward on the theory that the party
is wet and that Gov. Roosevelt must
be their nominee for the presidency.
Ccopyright, 193o.)