Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-08
ROOSEVELT, AS WET,
MAY RUN AGAINST
HOOVER, DRY, IN g
But Both Parties May Shun
Positive Stand on Liquor
in Campaign.
SMITH-RASKOB PLAN
OPPOSED BY LEADERS
g. o. P. Hopes for Minority Split
on Issue-Capper Forecasts
Reelection.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Fifteen months in advance of the Re-
publican and Democratic National Con-
ventions, it looks like q race between
President Hoover and Gov. Franklin D.
Roosevelt of New York for the presi-
dency.
Hoover viii be regarded as the dry
candidate and Roosevelt as the wet.
However, the Republican party platform
will go no further than declaration for
law enforcement, in all probability, and
the Democratic performances there
is a tremendous sweep in the interim
toward the wet Side-will be neutral on
prohibition, or at most suggest the
wisdom of resubmitting the eighteenth
amendment to the people.
The truth of the matter is that con-
temptation of the wet cause es exclu-
sively Democratic gives even some OF
the wettest of wet Democrats cold chills.
Not Chairman John ]. Raskon OF the
Democratic National Committee nor
former Gov. AL Smith of New York, TO
be sure, but others high in the party
councils. For example, one Democrat
from the old Bay State, where practt-
.cally all Democrats are vet, said last
night;
Il am not in favor of making national
prohibition national issue at this time.
The country is not ready for It,"
Wet Cause Must Gain.
If the wet cause does not gain still
further in strength before the Demo-
catic National Convention in 1892, the
probabilities are that the party viii fail
to adopt wet plank in its national
platform, although 1t viii nominate an
opponent of national prohibition for
President. Even the dry Democrats Of
the South, many Of them, believe that
Gov. Roosevelt, who has declared for q
change IN the prohibition saws. but who
is stressing economic issues for the COM
ing campaign, viii be the choice Of the
party for the nomination.
so the Democrats are likely TO 60 to
the ,bat<in 1892 with q wet candidate
for President and 3 neutral, IL not an
out-and-uut drap, platform
President Hoover,s denomination by
the Republicans. on dry platform. app
of the probability that tho Democrats
viii nominate . wet.
G. o. r. Hopes for Division.
The Republicans have been waiting
and hoping for division among the
Democrats over the wet and dry issue.
Chairman Raskob's declaration for
would leave the eighteenth amendment
unrepealed, followed by the outburst of
the drys In the meeting Of the Demo-
cratic National Committee here last
week, has been seized upon Immediately
by the Republicans.
Senator Capper, dry Republican from
the Sunfiower State, declared emphatic
ally yesterday that President Hoover
would make the shedding difncult. But
President next year. and that he would
be reelected on dry platform.
The Kansas Senator admitted that in
some Of the Eastern States, where wet
sentiment Is strong, the adoption of
the dry cause by the Republican party
would make the Sleding difficult. But
he declared that President Hoover, run
ming on dry platform against q wet
Democrat, whether the Democratic
platform were wet or not. would sweep
the Middle West and West. Further
more, Senator Capper took comfort
from the fact that the Democrats failed
10 elect majority Of the House last
November, although the country was
IN the midst Of serious depression and
unemployment. He said that II was an
indication that great body Of inde-
pendent voters in this country side
usually with the Republican party.
Predicts HOover's Reelection.
They believe" said Senator Capper.
that the country is better governed by
the Republicans than by the Democrats.
I have no hesitation in saying that
President Hoo7e- viii be renominated
and predict he : II be reelected"
Just as many OF the dry Democrats
today admit that Gov. Roosevelt, a wet
IS out in the lead today for the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination, so most
OF the vets In the Republican party see
no chance of heading of President
Hoover. Furthermore. they will sup
port him when it comes to the election
campaign, as the dry Democrats will
support Gov. Roosevelt
The Democrats are intent upon en-
phaSizing, II they can, the economic
issues. including tarif, water power and
particularly the depression in business
and unemployment that has existed and
continues TO exist. That Is, all those
Democrats who do not follow Raskob
and Smith in this matter Of making
prohibition the major issue Gov.
Roosevelt has gone along with this
idea of emphasizing economic issues.
Thereby he has gained still further a
commanding position for the Demo-
cratic nomination. He Is in the saddle
at present in New York Democratic
politics He is we'll liked in many Of
the Southern States where Democratic
leaders are satisfied he will not en-
phasize the prohibition issue. AT the
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