The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-11-14
PRESIDENT TOLD
WET SENTIMENT
SAPPING C. 0. P,
Powerful Group Reported
Preparing to Bolt It
Party Stays Dry.

Bg scripps-Hoioard Ne'espaper Aieance
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14.-Nation-
al Republicans vicious attack on
national Chairman Fess' undying
devotion to prohibition made itself
felt at the White House today
where incoming members OF house
and senate brought bad news Oh
conditions throughout the country
as thew affect the party's dry stand
and its general weakness with Vhe
people.
simultaneously there came word
II washington that a powerful
clique of Republicans, including
several national committeeman and
former presidential advisers, would
holt the G. o. P. if it remained dry
in 1882. Whether this group would
line I'D with the Democrats as IN
pennsylvania. provided the minority
party went wet, or whether they
would retaliate by setting up an
independent Republican ticket VIII
be determined by future develop
ments.
PROM only one quarter did Fess
receive any reinforcements for his
position that the G.. o. P. courts
disaster if it shifts its prohibition
policy.
Capper Is StiIIed Aired
Senator Capper of Kansas, a
bone dry, predicted that the Re-
publicans will advocate retention Of
the dry laws in 1882, while the
Democrats will become nationally
wet. Most people think Capper,
as usual, is a far-sighted prophet,
although the increasing pressure for
repeal or modification may have an
effect on the administration.
Hoover's latest information on the
disturbed state of the nation came
from such divergent quarters as
New York, New Jersey and oregon.
Men in touch with conditions there
reported that hard times and re-
sentiment against prohibition were
the chief causes for the Republican
reYerses in the election. Members of
congress long known as drys in
dicated they would give more serious
thought to votes on this issue than
they have in many years. The
fiareup of wet sentiment and revela-
ton of the Anti-Saloon Leagues
downfall have changed their view
point.
Fear Defeat Repetition
Should the 1882 election see the
same smashup of party lines that
marked the congressional contests,
many Republicans fear their party
will go down to defeat as it did in
Massachusetts, New York, Ohio and
Illinois.
Though formally wet in only six
states. while the Democrats have
adopted repeal slogan in eleven,
it is the states having the greatest
batch of convention delegates, the
most electoral votes and the largest
popular pluralities which are wet on
the Republican side. Some organi-
cations definitely have not demand
ed repeal, but the voters gave over
whelming totals to wet candidates
ten days ago.
These states are Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut, New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, Ohio, Illinois, Montana
and Washington. They have more
than 800 delegates at G. o. P. con-
ventions, 1877 electoral votes, and their
pluralities range from 5000 to the
100000 which Ohio, now wet and
Democratic, gave to Hoover in 1923
Fess FirmnesS Irritating
FeSs' unyielding stand has
further provoked the vets. Many
were inclined to feel that Wads-
worth'S statement that the Repub-
licans must stop its prohibition
pusSy-footing, split or no split, ="
was an idle threat. Some attrib-
uted Representative Fred Britten's
demand for Fess' resignation to the
ex-prizefighter's generally agrees
sive temperament. But it is known
that the forces they represent in
tend to continue their prohibition
ughC on present, nonpartlSan lines,
even if it does mean temporary de-
feat for the G. o. P.
If the administration believes
that beer-and-light wine. recon
mendation by the Wickersham
commission will sidetrack the issue,
and thereby remove it from pol
iticS, it is mistaken, according to ali
signs. The determined vets feel
that such q move would eliminate