Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-21
The Political Mill
BY C. Gould Lincoln.

both Republican and Democratic, that
prohibition be not made an issue In the
coming national election, John Barley
corn's head keeps bobbing up. The
brewery interests have engaged III an
active campaign to bring a recon-
mendation from President Hoover that
the Volstead act be amended so as t.,
permit the manufacture and sale of
per cent beer Their representatives
have been active in Washington. They
have visited some Of the highest officials
of the Government. Their plea is that
the depression, unemployment and the
Treasury deficit can all be wiped out
by the simple expedient of getting
back to beer drinking in this country.
The vets are at last hooking up their
cause with the cause of the unemployed
and the Government itself, which has
had to tighten its belt because of the
falling off of Federal revenues. Whether
you agree with the brewers or not about
the need and ACCESSIBILITY of the manu-
facture and sale of per cent beer, it
must be admitted that the campaign
has been well planned, well timed and
so calculated as to keep the issue before
the people. 1t seems to be generally
agreed, however, that If President
Hoover followed the advice of the
and vets. Persons close to the White
House insist there Is not the slightest
chance of Mr.. Hoover's taking up the
beer proposal to Congress with a
favorable recommendation.
*%
And now comes Jouett Shouse, chair
man of the Executive Committee of the
Democratic National Committee, with a
definite recommendation that the DEM
ocrats place in their party platform
next year plank calling, first, for the
revision of the Volstead act so as to
permit the manufacture and sale of
light wines and beer and, second, for
revision of the eighteenth amendment
so as to permit those States which
wish to permit the manufacture and
sale of intoxicating beverages to control
the liquor traffic within their own
boundaries. Mr.. ShouseS proposal is
contained in Suggestions for a Dsmo-
cratic Platform" prepared by him for
the Democratic Bulletin, the organ of
the Woman's National Democratic Club.
In addresses delivered in the last year,
Mr.. Shouse has taken a similar posi-
ton. His chief, John j. Raskob, the
chairman Of the Democratic National
Committee itself, who, selected Mr..
Shouse to head the Executive Commit
tee and to have charge of the active
operations OF the Democratic National
organization, takes similar position.
And, it may be added, so does the titular
leader of the Democratic party, Alfred
E. Smith, It's nominee for President in
1923. Can there be any doubt any
longer that when the Democratic ma
tional convention meets next year
great fight will be waged to write a wet
Nil TAIr ftAkN - MI 10
gins to look as though there would be
fine row over the old question which
tore the party wide open in 1924 and
again in 1928. Republicans are check
ing up considerably in anticipation of
the battle royal, notwithstanding the
fact that some of the Republican
brethren, particularly in New York and
Illinois, are threatening to bolt the
@. o. P. for the Democratic ticket un-
less the Republicans turn against the
eighteenth amendment.
The Democratic party must meet
! the prohibition issue" says Mr..
Shouse. That issue must be dealt
with politically. 1t is a political ques-
ton pure and simple"
There are other Democratic leaders,
however, who insist that the liquor is
for example, Senator Joseph T. Robin
son, the party's leader in the Senate
and its candidate for Vice President
in 1928, and Senator Cordell Hull of
Tennessee, who both addressed the
Democratic National Committee at its
meeting here in March last. It would
be political suicide for the Democrats
to write into their party platform any
such recommendations as those adj
vanced by the Smith Raskob- Shouse
| triumvirate, in their opinion. Further
more, these gentlemen say that prohi-
bition should not be political issue
President Hoover" says Mr., ShouSe,
has shown himself wholly unwilling to
assume responsibility when it comes
to dealing with the situation arising
| out of national prohibition). OF
course, that Is not the view of the at
titude of the President taken by the
drys and those who favor the contin-
uance of prohibition. They see in
the President a champion of the dry
cause. The only way to assume re-
sponsibility," in the opinion of Mr..
Shouse, is to come out for the repeal
of the existing dry laws. The drys
say, on the other hand, that the way to
assume responsibility is to insist upon
the enforcement of the present laws.
The editors of the Democratic Bulletin,
which published Mr.. Shouse's sug-
gestions for party platform, announce
that they are asking other Democratic
leaders to give their ideas of what the
platform should contain. The Bulletin
promises to make interesting reading.
Gerard Swope'S plan for the stabiliza-
ton of industry and employment re-
ceived tremendously wide publicity. It
h IfsI 10
far there has been no rush to gobble it
up as a party program by the Demo-
Gratis. Labor has taken crack at it
through officials Of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. Employers are not
yet willing to declare themselves for it.
In some quarters 1t is still insisted that
Owen D. Young head Of the General
Electric Board, is back of the Swope-
proposal, and that Mr.. Young is much
credit for being. Buf If Mr.. Young is a
candidate for the Democratic nomina-
ton for President he is still keeping the
matter pretty dark.
~
Talking about the Democratic plat
form next year, 1t will be interesting to
learn what 1t will say about power. Gov.
Albert @. Richie Of Maryland has be-
come the spokesman for that group Of
Democrats which Is opposed to Govern
ment ownership and operation of power
plants. Gov. Roosevelt of New York, on
the other hand. is regarded as the main
supporter of the more progressive" idea
regarding power among the Democratic
candidates for the presidential nomina-
ton. Mr.. Shouse, in his platform sug-
gestions, has something to say about
power He declares there lis no doubt
there have been grave abuses in the
utility field. Bu5 he does not propose to
commit the Dem lcratic party to the
support of Government operation of
power plants. He ooeS the length of
Government produc ion of power. if it