The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-03-06
RASKOB firm
ON WET PLAN
DESPITE ROW
Democrat Chairman viii
Press for Adoption Of.
Home Rule Measure.
ASSAILED AT MEETING
Criticism Is ShoWered on
Chief; Party Morale
Is Shaken.
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER
United Press STAFF Corresnondenf


WASHINGTON, March 6.-Un-
daunted by opposition Of dry lead
ers, those in control of the Demo-
cratic party machinery will press
for adoption of the Raskob 'home
rule PLAN for prohibition modif1ca-
ton in the platform for next years
presidential campaign.
The assault of dry forces against
this course at the Democratic ma
tional committee meeting here
Thursday was staged with unre-
strained fury.
Never within memory has a ma
tional chairman been subjected to
such sharp and direct criticism as
was showered upon John j. Raskob.
1t was unprecedented that a
Democrat of, the prestige Of Sena-
tor Joseph T. Robinson, senate mi
nority leader and presidential
candidate on the Smith ticket in
1928, should lash the party chair
man to his face in such bare-fsted
fashion.
But Raskob and his hackers re-
manned confident that the issue
must be met and that it should be
met in some way similar to that
proposed.
Party Morale Shaken
Party morale was shaken tempo
rarily at least by this outburst Of
feeling which provoked kissing and
cat calls. The voices of dry leaders
in and out Of the party were being
heard from today as men like F..
Scott Mcbride, superintendent Of
the Anti-Saloon League, and JOS
ephus Daniels of Raleigh, N. c., one
Of the influential spokesman in the
south, aSsailed the proposal.
But predictions Of disaster made
no impression on those in control
Of the party organization
Apparently, they are convinced
the partys hope next year lies in
grasping the prohibition issue with
the expectation that it will aid in
swinging large pivotal eastern
states, and that the dry Democrats
of the south will be willing, after
they have spoken their minds, to
go along with the party.
Adopt Financial Plan
The national committee adopted
the financial plan outlined, under
which fund of $6,00O,0o0 would be
raised to finance the party deficit
and the coming campaign.
This move was important because
for the first time a political party
is undertaking to replace the ira
dltional haphazard noney-raising
methods Of politicians with a scien-
tlf1c plan, worked out by professional
money raisers, similar to methods
used in raising endowment funds.
Feeling over the prohibition issue,
however, completely overshadowed
this action.
Raskob'S "aome rule'' plan is
similar to that proposed by former
Governor Alfred E. Smith in his ac-
ceptance speech in 1928.
RaSkob would supplement the
eighteenth amendment with another
permitting each state, within its
borders, to manufacture, transport
and sell liquor, under any plan it
desires, such plan to be first ap-
proved by a statewide referendum.
Urges Ratification Conventions
The proposed constitutional
amendment would be ratified by
state conventions called for the pur-
pose.
This plan differs from the pro-
posed revision Of the eighteenth
amendment supported by several
members Of the Wickersham COM
mission, but rejected by President
Hoover.
The Wickersham probers' plan
would give congress the right to
regulate the liquor traffic in any
way it saw fit, whereas Raskob
would give congress nothing to do
with it, but would leave each state
to work out its own control plan or
continue under absolute prohibition
as desired.
The outcome will depend upon
whether a majority of the next
Democratic convention will support
modification.
Many Want Modification
Jouett Shouse, chairman of the
Democratic national executive COM
nlittee, said recently that states
whose delegates will represent a
majority Of the next national con-
vention already have declared fox
some change in existing conditions.
In the congressional campaign
last year there were Democratic
platform declarations for repeal of
the eighteenth amendment in twelve
states: Connecticut, New Hamp-
shire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
New York, New Jersey, Delaware,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Illinois,
Wisconsin and Washington.