Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-19
BY WILLIAM HARD.

Two quite important developments
happened in Washington during this
week regarding prohibition. Both have
large bearing upon the future of the
prohibition question.
The first was the firm steadfastness
of the national convention here of the
Wcmen'S Organization for National Pro-
hibition Reform in favor Of outright re-
peal of the eighteenth amendment and
against any revision" Of it which would
keep the liquor trade within Federal
jurisdiction. The peak words in the reso-
luton finally adopted by the convention
were to the effect that any eighteenth
amendment revisicns which would leave
the matter still in the hands of Congress
and still liable to be foot ball in sue
ceSS1ve campaigns" would constitute no
defnitive release from the intolerabIe
conditions born CT the attempt at ma
tional prohibition"
x = +
Thus the WomenS Organization for
National Prohibition Reform declined in
essence to follow the lead Of Mr.. John
j. Raskib, member of the Finance Com
mittee of the Association Against the
Prohibition Amendment and chairman
Of the Democratic National Committee.
1t drew away from Mr.. Raskob'S home
rule plan" whereby individual States
might write themselves out from under
the eighteenth amendment, but the
eighteenth amendment with Federal
enforcement would continue in exist
ence in all other States
This development was especially note
worthy in view of the attitude taken
by the third large and influential anti
prohibition organization, namely, THE
Crusaders" The Association Araginst
the Prohibition Amendment is composed
largely Of big business men and of big
contributors to the anti-prohibition
cause. The Womens Organization for
National Prohibition Reform and the
Crusaders have broader base of men,
bership. The Women's Organization for
National Prohibition Reform, composed
wholly Of women, has some three hum
dred thousand members and its con-
Vertion here was attended by more than
eight hundred delegates. The Crusad-
ers, composed wholly of men, has some
one hundred and fifty thousand mem
bers.
The Association Against the Prohibi-
ton Amendment operates largely
through agents. The Women's Organi-
cation for National Prohibition Reform
and the Crusaders are more in the ma
ture of active mass movements of en-
thuSiastS. Their views accordingly are
perhaps more illustrative of the state of
mind Of the wet rank-and-file..
Now 1t happens that the Crusaders
precisely like the Women's Organiza-
ton for National Prohibition Reform
have resolutely refused to express any
favor for any method Of dealing with
the eighteenth amendment except sheer
repeal. The officers of the Crusaders, to
date, decline to compromise They now
seem to be upheld in their policy by
the ladies who guide the destinies of
the Women's Organization for National
Prohibitions Reform and who are per-
haps mere energetic in their propaganda
than any man vets in the country.
1t is true that at the Women'S con-
vention here Mrs. August Belmont
Eleanor Robson) declared that the
vets, in the solving of the liquor prob
lem, should join hands with "the mod
crate prohibitioniStS." This idea, how
ever, did not make any victorious head
way. Meanwhile the dry organizations,
on their side, are for the most part
equally uncompromising.
In these circumstances, 1t Is not
surprising that considerable quiet prog
resS is getting made among practical
political vets by the notification" idea
of Representative James M. Beck of
Pennsylvania, formerly Solicitor General
Of the United States. Mr.. Beck steadily
maintains that the vets, II and when
they get a majority in the House of
Representatives, should cut through the
deadlock created by the multiplicity
of wet plans for eighteenth amendment
revision or repeal and should simply
exert the congressional power of the
purse" and refuse to appropriate any
money for Federal prohibition enforce
ment This can be done by either of
the two Houses of the Congress, without
aid or consent from the other, and it
requires only majority vote instead
of the two thirds vote required for
constitutional changes.
x
This writer ventures the belief, after
long inquiry into wet legislative senti-
ment that while the vets may Wrangle
publicly endlessly on eighteenth amend
ment proposed constitutional tinkering
their first actual blow, If they ever Sc
cure majority in either House of the
Congress, will be along the line of Mr.
Beck'S recommendation. While repeal"
and revision are occupying the land
scape of ultimate philosophical discus
sion, notification" Is almost noiSeleSsly
creeping fast into the immediate fore
ground.
The second important prohibition de-
velopment in Washington during this
| last week was in connection with
grape concentrates" and the manu-
facture of wine in the home. Reply
| ing to a letter from the Crusaders on
this topic, Col. Amos w. w. Woodcock.
director of prohibition in the Depart
ment of Justice, decried and deplored
such manufacture as out Of keeping
with the spirit of the eighteenth
amendment and said that If grape
concentrates" are sold to the house
holder with an intent that they be