Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-08
LEADERS COLD TO FRANCE.
Ex-senator First Republican Wet to
Enter Campaign.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


Announcement by former Senator
Joseph I. France of Maryland that he
would be candidate for the Repub-
lican presidential nomination against
| President Hoover next wear left the Re-
| publican leaders in Washington cold
| today.
The announcement of DIR. Frances
candidacy. however. marks the entry of
the first Republican wet into the presi-
DENTAL campaign of 1882
Senator Goldsborough of Maryland.
Republican leader in the State, had the
following comment to make on the
France candidacy:
My opinion is that the Republicans
OF Maryland ere for President Hoover
denomination.
It is no secret that at Republican
| national Headquarters the denomination
| OF President Hoover is confidently ex-
| pected. However, it has been under
| stood for some time that Republican
vets in number of the States, par
ticularly New York and Massachusetts,,
would seek TO write into the Repub-
llcan platform a plank calling for a
referendum on national prohibition. if
| not for revision or repeal of the eight
zenith amendment
Other Candidates. Question.
Whether other vets will follow the
example of DR.. France and seek to
become candidates for the presidential
nomination has not been disclosed. DR..
Frances announcement of his can
oldacy included the assertion that he
would file today as a candidate in the
Maryland preferential primary, which
Is TO be held next year. Although there
Is much wet sentiment in MARYLAND. it
mas been generally held that a ma jority
OF the Republicans IN that State are
dry.
At the headquarters of the Associa-
ton Against the Prohibition Amend
| ment Il was said today that there had
oeen no Endorsement so far by the as
ISOLATION of Dr. Frances candidacy The
| opinion was expressed, however. that,
the association would follow with in
| terest the reaction to the announce
ment OF DR.. France, particularly as he
Is the nr5t wet Republican to come out
for the presidency.
DR.. Frances candidacy as a wet
brings into the open again the division
| IN Republican ranks over prohibition,
Inc announcement comes at a time
when Chairman Jehn j. Raskob of
the Democratic National Committee is
making a drive to have the Democratic
party write his home rule plan" for
control of the liquor traffic into the
Democratic national platform for 1882.
Inc Republicans have been encouraged
because OF the deep resentment voiced
by dry Democrats to the Raskob plan.
Hopes Raskob Succeeds.
Norman E. Mack of Buffalo. the
Democratic national committeeman
from. New York, who was in Washing
ton yesterday. expressed a hope that
Mr. Raskob would succeed in placing
in the party platform next year a plank
| looking 10 the repeal of the eighteenth
amendment. Mr.. Mack said he consid-
| cred prohibition was a major issue in
| this country. The Raskob home-ru!e
plan, while 1t does not provide for re-
peal Of the eighteenth amendment,
calls for another constitutional amend
ment, which. according to dry Demo-
| national prohibition amendment.
| Senator Norris of Nebraska, Progress
sive Republican. who followed AL Smith
in 1928, declared that Mr.. Raskob is
seeking to nominate cadnidate for
| President on the Democratic ticket who
stands with Mr.. Hoover on the water
| power problem, the tariff and other
economic issues, and at the same time
to write into the party platform wet
plank
This, according to Senator Norris
would leave the people to fight over the
prohibition issue in the next campaign
The inference drawn from Senator
Norris statement Is that he is anx-
ious TO have the Democrats nominate
progressive an dto minimize the i'm
portance of the prohibition issue.
Galen L. TAFT chairman of the Mary
land Republican State Central Com
mittee, drew figure of speech in COM
menting today upon the announcement
of DR.. France, when he said:
II believe the passengers on the shir
of state would prefer Mr.. Hoover as
the captain now at the helm"