Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-06

The American Legion vote OF 1908 to
394 in favor of referendum on the
prohibition amendment, Is believed by
the public to have emphasized the I'M
portant role that this question will have
in the national campaign OF 1882, es-
pecially when viewed in conjunction
with similar action by other organiza-
tons, including lawyers, doctors ana
labor unions. 1t is held that this reSo-
luton represents the voice of cross
section of the Nation in favor of putting
up to the people the question OF re-
peal, enforcement or modification.
Dry leaders might well consider the
Legion proposal and adopt it as their
own" advises the Roanoke World-News
contending that in such referendum,
a majority of the States would In all
probability vote dry" With tribute
to the fair success of prohibition where
there is body of public sentiment pc
hind it." that paper feels that it has
created most unfortunate conditions
where it has been imposed against the
almost unanimous wishes of the COM
munity." TIE Scranton Times finds
that millions of people believe that,
after 10 years of operation of the law,
the time has come when the people
should be permitted to express them
selves for or against prohlbltlon or In
favor of modification"
1.-THE action thus taken" according
to the Chicago Daily News, was not
based on the personal wishes and
preferences of any group, but on the
fragrant evils attributable to the VOL
stead Interpretation of the eighteenth
amendment to the Constitution. The
conventions stand should be as &C
ceptable to the moderate drys as to the
rational vets" Hailing the resolution
as "the clearest statement yet OF the
national dissatisfaction with the noble
experiment" the San Francisco Chron-
icle offers the estimate: Examination
choice of words. The Legion avoids
recommending repeal or revision. 1t
recommends putting that question up
to the people in the orderly, constitu-
tional way. 1t also leaves to the people
the question whether it should be re-
peal or revision. How can any one OBJ
ject to this? No one is left a chance
to say the Legion went beyond the
rights or duties of citizenship"
* X X X
"The action of the Legion" in the
Judgment of the Charlotte Observer,
removes any doubt that may have re-
NAMED that prohibition IS to be the
major issue of the 1882 campaign. The
most effective way in which the dryS
can combat the challenge Of the Lee
gionnaires is to direct their efforts to
securing dry majority IN Congress and
to secure nomination of a dry candidate
for President. The Legion is On record;
persistent denunciation of its stand, by
itself, will avail but little The Tex
arkana Gazette feels that adoption of
the resolution indicates sentiment that
will have its influence In the congress
sional elections
Criticizing Legion action as needless
waste of effort" the Meridian Star says
that "too many crying problems are to
be solved, without seeking to reopen a
situation which long ago has been a
closed and final incident" The South
Bend Tribune argues: 1.-The veterans
who contend that they were tricked do
not give sufficient attention to the fact
that the eighteenth amendment was the
elimination of a movement that had
been markedly successful throughout the
United States before the World War be-
gan. In fact, some of the complaining
veterans helped elect Legislatures that
had voted States dry before national
prohibition came"
.The situation points toward deter
mined efforts for a showdown on the
liquor question in the national conven-
lions next year." ayers the Chattanooga
Times, with, however, the reservation
that, 'if there is plenty of fighting in
sight, there is little hope for the con-
clusion of what some seem to think
ought to be at least hundred years
war" The Oakland Tribune states:
ut is probable that were few, if any,
vets VINO voted against the referendum,
for efforts to obtain an expression of
] the kind are within their outlined CAM
paign. A number of drys, however.
may have favored the resolution and
without surrendering their convictions. .