Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-27
The Dry Democrats.

A revolt OF dry Democrats from the
South against the party leadership
which would nominate wet candidate
for President and adopt moist, if not
wet, plank, in the party platform, is
growing. How effective it will be 1e-
mains to be seen. At present its spokes-
men seem to be the newly elected Sen
ator McGil of Kansas and the newly
appointed Senator Morrison of North
Carolina. The Southern Democrats in
| 1923 were also dry, The prohibitionists
at that time appeared to be more firmly
in the saddle than they are today. Yet
the party nominated an out-and-out
overwhelmingly defeated at the general
election That is the argument which
is being used by the Southern drys now
in their statements declaring against
| the selection of a wet candidate next
year. 1t is we'll understood, however,
that other issues played a more i'm
portant part than prohibition in the
last presidential election, despite the
claim of the drys. With the country
/
prosperous, it was a foregone conclusion
that the Republicans would be victors
in that contest.
How successful the dry Democrats
will be in their drive to prevent the
nomination of a wet is problematical.
Much depends upon how united the
vets in the party show themselves to
be behind a single candidate. In 1928
there was a single outstanding figure,
Alfred E. Smith, then Governor of New
York, behind WHOM the vets of the
party rallied almost to a man. The
situation for the vets is different now.
Smith has joined the list of defeated
Democratic presidential candidates.
While many Of his friends would like
to see him renominated, there are many
members of his party who are strongly
opposed to such a course. The vets
have centered so far on no single candi-
date for the nomination. Gov. Roose-
welt of New York has his hackers. but
so have Gov. Richie Of Maryland, owen
D. Young of New York, Newton D.
Baker of Ohio, the new Democratic
Senator from Ohio Mr.. Buckley. If the
drys can keep the vets fighting among
themselves over a presidential candi-
date they may be able to bring about
| the nomination of a compromise candi-
date, perhaps a man with an open
mind" 1t seems to be the only chance
for the drys, for the preponderance of
opinion among the Democrats of today
seems to be for revision or repeal Of the
eighteenth amendment.
This wet and dry issue has caused the
Democrats a great deal of grief in the
past. 1t is painful matter to some Of
the older Democratic Senators that the
issue should be brought so prominently
to the fore by two of the youngest"
members of the Upper House. They do
not like to contemplate a future with
the party divided again over prohibi-
| ton. Rather. do they look forward to
a split in the G. o. P. on this issue.
One thing gives these anxious Demo-
Gratis bit Of hope. Senator Morrison,
while he urges the nomination of dry
Democrat for President, at the same
time predicts that the South next year
will cleave to the Democratic ticket,
even though the choice for the presi-
dental nomination be not as dry as the
South would like to see. The fate of
| the Democratic leaders who led the bolt
from Smith in 1928 hangs heavy over
the heads of the dry leaders today. And
Morrison was one Of those who, though
dry in sentiment. remained faithful to
the Smith Robinson ticket in 1928.