The Washington times., 1931-03-13
READY
FORELECT|ON
DRY FIGHT
Borah Holds Issue Will Rule
as Dominant One During the
Campaign; 3 Favor Vets
By GEORGE r. HOLMES

ny OEOhOE II. dOLMES
Extended discussion of prohibi
ton was avoided by the Bi-parti-
san Progressives here in their
two-day conference on What
This Country Needs"
Nevertheless, most of the Pro-
greSsiveS' leaders believe that pro
hibition is going to play a domi-
nant part in the presidential elec-
ton next year, and that more
votes are going to swing on the
prohibition issue than upon farm
relief. taxation, utilities regula-
ton, or any of the other issues
which they so thoroughly dis
cussed. They deplore the fact,
but recognize it.
BOrah Sure of Issue
Senator BOrah (R) of Idaho,
an uncOmprOmising dry, who was
Mr.. HOOver'S most effective cam
paigner in 1928 and now is one
of his severest critics, is among
those who hold the belief that
prohibition will be, perhaps, the
biggest Single issue.
He said:
"All this discussion about
what the Republican party is
going to do and what the
Democratic party is going to
do with reference to prOhibi.
tiOn seems a needless waste OF
time.
"There is no possible way to
keep the liquor question from
being a dominant issue in the
1892 campaign. If both parties
are absolutely silent in their
platforms, it will still be one
of the most thoroughly dis
cuSSed issues in the campaign.
Bound To Be Discussed
"a subject about which
everyone is thinking and talk
ing is bound to be discussed
in the next campaign, and even
with silent platforms, the candi-
dates will be bound to take a
position. That will bring it
into the campaign"
The progressives' avoidance of
the subject in their conference was
not through fear of creating a
Schism in their own ranks. They
simply recognized it as a contro-
versial subject. which they con-
slider not as important as any
one of the dozen things they did
discuss.
Senator George w. Norris, the
insurgent leader, declared that
he considered prohibition a red
herring being dragged across the
"real issues" of power control,
monopoly control, and the domi-
nance of government by great
and powerful interests.
Three Opposed to Prohibition
In point of fact, most of the
prOgressives who sponsored the
twO-day meeting here are inclined
to the wet side of the question.
Of the five Senators who Joined
in the call for the conference,
three are classified as unfriendly
to prohibition as constituted.
They object to being called "wet," !"
but their sympathies are with
those who are seeking an end to
the present system.
Norris himself, while dry, is
not radical on the subject. He
is an avOwed enemy of the Anti
Saloon League.
Cutting of New Mexico and
Wheeler of Montana both incline
to the liberal side of the issue.
La Toilette of Wisconsin is
openly wet.
Costigan of Colorado is rated
along with Norris as nominal
dry.
Want a New Control
Prof. Charles A. Boards state
ment on prohibition in the confer
ence, which was the only refer
ence to the subject, fairly repre-
sented the attitude of the progress
sives, wet or dry, Republican or
Democratic.
It was that the progressives
were opposed to blanket repeal of
the Eighteenth Amendment with
out the simultaneous setting up
of some plan of liquor control in
its stead.
VHIRl ATHnT0