Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-03
DEMOCRATS URGE
BETTER TINES AS
SLOGAN FOR 1882
al Smith ConferS Secretly
With RaSkob and Chiefs
of Party.
DEPRESSION is RESULT
OF GREED, SAYS WALSH
Senate Leaders Shy at Liquor as
Issue-Robinson Hits Repub-
lican Stand.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Senate Democratic leaders today de-
manded that economic rehabilitation be
made the dominant political issue as the
party chieftains assembled here for a
discussion of policies.
Senator'S Walsh of Massachusetts, and
Robinson of Arkansas in speeches in
the Senate waved aside the prohibition
controversy and insisted the economic
depression be faced as the party prob
lem. At the same time, Chairman
Raskob of the Democratic National
Committee went into conference with
Alfred E. Smith, presidential candidate
in 1928, and other party leaders to
map out the program for Thursdays
session of the committee.
Drys Protest Violently.
Raskob was faced with a violent pro-
test from Democratic members of Con-
gress against any attempt to bring up
an anti-prohibition resolution at the
Thursday meeting. Mr.. Smith, arriving
early from Raleigh, N. c., added his
voice to the rising uproar against any
discussion of issues by the national
committee.
This is no time to be setting up
straw men," shouted Walsh in the Sen
ate, relating to the wet and dry issue,
to religion or to racial issues when men
and women are starving!"
Robinson said the Republican lead
ers were still carrying on a campaign
to make the people believe the country
is prosperous and cited a recently pub
hshed article by Senator Fess Of Ohio
chairman Of the Republican National
Committee, TO support his contention.
Stock ManipuIations.
Walsh said the depression was caused
by financial exploitation and stock
manipulation since the war;" which
gave a false impression of economic
conditions.
I'VE are today the victims of an orgy
OF gambling without parallel In the his
tory Of the world" he continued.
'The past 10 years has been period
of mergers and combinations, without
restraint. The result has been nefarious
and ruinous.
1T has been an epoch of the triumph
Of greed. Political leadership has been
uU1uu1AbCQ py LIE sell u1bcIGSJS CA a
powerful few.
mo government that makes any pre-
tense OF supporting equality Of oppOr-
tunity can escape share Of the re-
gponsibility for conditions.
las the orgy grew, public officials
continued to announce that conditions
were fundamentally sound"
Mr.. Smith stopped on In Washington
on his way back from Raleigh, where
he addressed the North Carolina As
sembly yesterday.
The former New York Governor and
presidential candidate In 1928 was met
at the station by Chairman Raskob of
the National Committee, but the two
went into hiding, while Mrs. Smith
stopped at hotel.
Whereabouts Secret.
Oficers Of the National Committee
would not disclose Mr. Smiths where
abouts immediately. 1t was suggested
the former Governor would not remain
here until Thursday, when the meeting
of the National Committee has been
called, but would return to New York
later in the day and come back to
Washington for the Democratic session.
Meanwhile, Southern Democrats IN
Congress were interpreting Mr.. Smiths
statement in Raleigh yesterday that
n