Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-26
The Political Mill
BY C. Gould Lincoln.

ny W OOutU AbS~OSbs /
Changing conditions, and particular
ly changing conditions OF public opin-
ion, must necessarily have a tremen-
dous and far-reaching effect on the
policies and programs OF political
leaders. Woodrow Wilson was elected
President of the United States for a
second time in 1915 on the slogan He
kept us out Of war" That was IN
November, 1916. In April, 1917, Presi-
dent Wilson recommended to Congress
that it declare war. Frequently 1t has
been said that President Wilson would
have ranged this country on the side
of the allies in the World War still
earlier, had public opinion in this
country supported the entry Of the
United States into the conflict. Ger
tainly in November, 1916, the pre-
ponderance of opinion in many of the
States was against the entry of this
country into the war. The war had
been going on for more than two years
at the time, but, despite provocation,
the public sentiment had net swung
sufficiently toward war, and Wilson was
elected because he had managed to
keep the country out of war. There
were other contributing factors, but
that was the great slogan Of the Demo-
cratic party.
y X x
President Hoover, having declared
national prohibition an experiment
noble in purpose, was elected President
in 1923. He was elected as a dry.
There were vets who believed that his
plan to provide a commission to study
the question of prohibition was a step
in the right direction, and some of the
vets voted for Mr.. Hoover also. There
were several other important con-
tributing factors in that election which
returned Mr.. Hoover a victor. But his
victory was hailed as a victory for the
dry cause, just as the victory of Wood
row Wilson in 1916 was hailed as a
victory for the anti-war party.
X X
When public opinion supported him,
and when conditions had changed,
Woodrow Wilson led the country into
war, although he had been reelected
as a peace President. If public opinion
supports a revision of the eighteenth
amendment, will Herbert Hoover take
the lead in urging upon the Congress
a resolution proposing an amendment
to the Constitution for that purpose?
1t is an interesting question.
The results in the congressional cleo
tions in 1880 and now the report OH
national prohibition submitted by the
Presidents own commission on Law
Enforcement and Observance have in
dictated change in public opinion. The
rank and file Of the voters had their say
in the congressional elections and re-
visionists won in many instances. In
the Wickersham Commission the Presi-
dent brought together trained minds
and men and a woman of much force
of character. They hailed from all
sections of the country, from New York
and from the Corn Belt, from the Gulf
of Mexico and from the Pacific Coast.
In a measure they represented cross
section Of American life and thought.
A study of the commissions report
and the statements of the individual
members of the commission can lead
to only one conclusion: that none of
the commissioners is satisfied with
conditions in this country under ma
tional prohibition; that a majority Of
them believe a change should be made
in the system Of liquor control without
further delay, while a minority would
give the existing system a further
chance. As the real significance of the
reports Of these commissioners sinks in,
it can scarcely fail to have its effect on
public opinion. Already the statement
made by Judge William S. Kenyon Of
Iowa, which shows up national prohibi-
ton as it is now practiced in terrible
light, is the topic Of wida discussion
throughout the farm belt. Judge Kenyon
has been known as an ardent supporter
of the dry cause. 1t is true that he
recommends further trial of the exist
ing system. But he adds that if great
improvement in enforcement and
observance of the law does not follow,
then he believes there must be a re-
vision of the system, and he subscribes
to the plan Of liquor control worked out
by Commissioner Henry w. Anderson in
that event
The shift in public opinion toward
national prohibition as it is now prac-
ticed under the law-or as, In consid-
cradle measure, 1t is not practiced-
has been more and more marked. It
has changed already to some extent the
complexion Of Congress. There are
other members of Congress today who
are sitting on the fence, merely waiting
for additional pressure to flop to the
side Of revising the system of liquor
control. Whether the shift of public
opinion Is strong enough to make GER
tain the election of a presidential can
didate next year who supports revision
of the eighteenth amendment is agitat-
ing the political leaders as they have
rarely been agitated.
x X X
Out of the report of the Wickershan
Commission comes the distinct impress
sion that the gains made for the coun-
try through national prohibition must
not be abandoned. There must be no
return to the control of politics by the
liquor traffic and no return to the open
saloon. While the commissioners dis
present conditions, they also
are strongly averse to returning to the
old, pre- olstead conditions in this
And public opinion will sup
port the commission in this view In
other words, there must be a substi-
tute for the existing system which per-
mits regulation OF the liquor traffic by
the National Government, along with
the State governments, but not a re-
peal of the eighteenth amendment
substitute. Either the Demo-
cratic party or the Republican party is
likely to offer such substitute If the
ultra drys have their way, the Republic
cans will stand by the present system
or something still more drastic. The
Democrats seem committed to some form
OF revision or repeal. Jouett Shouse,
chairman of the Democratic Executive
Committee, writing in the February is
sue Of the Atlantic Monthly, ranges
himself on the side of revision or re-
peal, although the new Senator-elect
from Colorado. Costigan, chosen as a
Democrat, supports prohibition in the
same issue. Ever since 1928 it has been
known that Raskob, the chairman of
the Democratic National COMMITTEES.
makes repeal of the eighteenth amend
ment, or some modification, a princi-
pal issue in politics.
Sooner or later the candidates for
the presidency in 1882 will have to de-
clare their stand on this liquor issue.
1t does not appear probable that anv
OF them will be able to straddle the
issue, or that if he does he can win.
ShnI1Cn