Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-21
STAND OF HOOVER
SEEN ISSUE IN 1882
President Is Held Hope Of
DryS in Next National
Campaign.
CONTINUED From First Page.l

t0ey CONSIDER wet.
Senator Fess was particular today to
make it clear that in his interview with
the President at the White House he
did not discuss the WlcKerSnam rePoli;
or the Presidents letter of transmittal
except to congratulate him upon the
expressions contained in his message
The Ohio Senator gave his own view OF
the Wickersham report, which he salo
must be considered personal view ano
not the view of the chairman OF the
Republican National Committee.
1.-THE report in the MAN,, Senator
Fess said. as encouraging to the dry
cause. The only thing I am disturbed
about is that the people are not satlS-
fed with the way prohibition has been
enforced and with the results thus lar
Is is a difficult problem. Although en-
forcernent has not been satisfactory OF
entirely effective, / think 1t is possible
to make it so. But, the conditions I'M
der the eighteenth amendment are SO
much better than the old system tnat
until there is some better plan 90 not
approve of any drastic changes.
st agree that if there was better en-
]orcement the people generally through
out the country would be better salts,
fed and the problem would be leSseneo
and the results would be far greater.
at am opposed to revision OF the law,
ssDeciallv along the lines recommended
by the WickerSham Commission. am
particularly opposed to that part OF the
proposed revision which would MAKE max
the prohibition question purey pono, "a,
cal one in the future instead OF an
economic one, by placing the settlement
Of the question in the hands OF Con-
eress This would mean that there
InoTld be a fight on the prohibition
question every two years, which Woulo
have a disturbing affect on the country
ct large. - 49,
wickersham Commission and author OF
a complete plan for revision OF the
eighteenth amendment, and liquor con-
troll takes the view that the report OF
the commission on the whole faVors
modification of the eighteenth amend
ment Col. Anderson is Republican
and for many years has been leader OF
the Republican forces In that state. Col
Andersons recommendations 1or rev.
sion of the eighteenth amendment were
approved by five other members OF the
Commission, although two Of them said
thew preferred a further trial OF the
present system of liquor control before
going TO the revised plan.
Some of the out-and-out vets among
the Republicans in Congress are greatly
disappointed in the position taken by
the President in his letter to the Con-
gress, declaring, as they say against
revision. They point out that seven
members of the Presidents Law Op-
gervance and Enforcement Commission
have declared in their reports that some
revision or change in the existing plan
of national prohibition must be made.
In the face of this fact, these wet Re-
publicans say, President Hoover has
taken an opposite position. From po-
litical point Of view these wet Repubh-
cans insist that Mr.. Hoover has mace
q mistake. They are Republicans ana
are loath to criticize the titular mead OF
their party, particularly when he may
be the nominee OF the party next year
70 succeed himself.
Couldn't StraddIe Issue.
One ardent wet Republican member
of Congress took the view, in discussing
the situation, though he desired not to
have his name mentioned in connection
with these views, that the President
had made 1t extremely difhcult for him
self to be renominated, and that even
81 he were renominated, he would face
defeat in the general election, even
though business conditions improved.
It is diflcult to see, however, how a
Republican or q Democratic candidate
fer President win be able to straddle
LIk6 UIOllAUltlOu AEo0Es 0D0AACA VI AAbCA
President Hoover, provided be Is can
didate for reelection, as he is expected
70 be. would be compelled to take q
stand on the prohibition issue.
Senator Blaine Of wisconsin, q wet
Republican, who followed Al Smith in
2he last presidential campaign, has al
ready offered in the Senate an amend
naent 70 the Constitution changing the
eighteenth amendment to conform to
= 49, et1av
Commission. Representative Lehlbach
Of New Jersey, wet and regular Re-
publican, has prepared and will intro
@uced an amendment revising the
eighteenth amendment.
The dry Republican members Of Con-
aress, however, like Senator Fess, are
$ejoicing that Presi mt Hoover has
come out squarely fUf the eighteenth
amendment and the enforcement of the
dry laws and has turned his back on the
suggested revision Of the prohibition
amendment. put forward by the wicker
sham Commission.
Plan of Lehlbaeh.
Representative Lehlbachis plan to
change the eighteenth amendment does
not follow the recommendation Of the
Wickersham Commission. His proposal
follows:
Section /. Article 10 OF the Con-
gtitution Is hereby repealed.
Section 2. Congress shall have the
power TO aid the States in the enforce
nnent Of their respective laws to regu-
late or prohibit the manufacture, sale
and transportation of intoxicating
liquors for beverage purposes, and may
exercise all power reasonable and nee
esSary for that purpose. This amend
ment shall take effect on the first Mon
day in December after its ratification"
The New Jersey Representative, in
o statement explanatory Of his proposed
constitutional amendment, declares his
opposition TO the Wickersham Commits
Rions suggested revision of the eight
zenith amendment on the ground that
II Congress were given power TO regu-
late and prohibit the manufacture and
sale Of intoxicating liquors for beverage
purposes, prohibition would be perpetu-
ally in politics, with perhaps one Con-
gress declaring for regulation and the
next for prohibition.
Mr. Lehlbach said that the Wicker
sham Commission was unanimous in
enforced and that q majority of the
commission held that it is unenforce-
able. He declared that the so-called
conclusions of the commissions report
were misleading and that 1t was pos
sible TO learn what the commissioners
really had in mind only by reading their
separate reports.
Work Not Yet Completed.
President Hoover did not in his let
ter of transmittal to Congress state spe-
eifcally his objections to the revised
eighteenth amendment suggested by the
commission. He may have the same
kind of objection to the revision as ad-
vanced by Mr.. Lehlbach. He may yet
have a proposal of his own for a re-
vision Of the existing eighteenth amend
n1ent. However, If he has, 1t has not