Evening star., 1932-02-29
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

Former GOV. AlIred e. Smltn, re-
ceptive If not an active candidate for
President, has made his position per-
fectly clear on the prohibition question
He considers prohibition an issue OF
prime Importance. He does not believe
that the Democratic party should seek
to minimize prohibition In the coming
campaign or hide it behind so-called
economic issues. He wants a definite
proposal in the Democratic national
platform calling for another amend
ment to the Constitution in line with
the home-rule plan advanced by his
friend, John j. Raskob, chairman OF the
Democratic National Committee.
Four years ago the Democrats wrote
a prohibition plank in their platform
which was satisfactory to the drys and
then nominated Al Smith. The then
Governor of New York accepted the
nomination and sent to the conven-
ton a telegram which announced that
he proposed to fight for repeal OF the
eighteenth amendment. The telegram,
addressed to the permanent chairman
of the convention, Senator Joseph 1.
Robinson of Arkansas, who mad peen
chosen to run as Vice President, was
not read to the convention until the
hour of adjournment had arrived.
Smith was vigorously criticized by some
of the Democrats because he had not
sent the telegram to the convention be-
fore he was nominated. This year,
however, the Democratic National Con-
vention will know just bow Mr. Smith
feels about this matter OF prohibition
when his name is before 1t for con-
sideration.
With AL Smith feeling as he does
about the prohibition issue and with
Mr. Smith, according to many OF his
friends. holding a veto power on the
nomination of a candidate for Presi-
dent, Speaker John w. Garner of Texas
will have to produce proofs OF wetneSs
il he Is to be compromise candidate
at the Democratic National Conven-
ton. 1t seems to be the strategy OF his
supporters for the nomination to nave
him gather in the delegates in some OF
the dry States before he goes on record
in regard to prohibition. At present
the Garner people are looking for dele
gates. and dry delegates look just as
good as wet delegates.
There is another candidate for the
Democratic presidential nomination,
and in this case an active candidate,
who feels about prohibition just about
the way Al Smith and John Raskob
feel. Gov. Albert G. Ritchie Of Mary
land has left no one In the dark. He
has not and does not intend to pussy
foot on the issue. And to do the Gov
ernor OF Maryland full justice, he has
pussy-footed on none of the issues. He
has made many speeches in many parts
of the country in recent months and
has left no doubt in the minds OF any
of his hearers where he stands on the
issues of the day.
A strong belief exists in some Demo
cratic quarters that when it has been
developed that Mr.. Smith cannot be
nominated Gov. Ritchie Is likely to
inherit much Of the Smith strength
in the convention. But that Is not all,
by jugful, that the Richie people are
counting on They believe that their
candidate will prove to be the recipient
Of very large amount Of second choice
votes IN the convention-votes that will
turn to Richie when favorite sons from
other States have had their brief day
in court. And 1t is likely, too, that
some of the Roosevelt delegates In a
number Of States would swing to
Ritchie, provided 1t was found that
Roosevelt could not make the grade.
Gov. Ritchie, despite his wet views
would, it Is believed, be popular candi-
date in the States of the South. He
has an ancestor who was Governor Of
cestor either. He would run well in
the States of the East and North, par
ticularly If he had the active backing
of Al Smith. For some Of the States
of the West he would be rated too con-
servative. Indeed, if he became the
Democratic nominee for President there
would be increased activity among the
Progressive Republicans and independ-
ents for the formation of third party.
If a third party were attempted as a
protest against both the old parties, it
might obtain considerable protest
vote-and most Of the protest votes to-
day are against the G. o. P. Under
such circumstances therefore, q third
party movement would probably be more
hurtful to the Democrats than to the
Republicans.
Al Smith in his address delivered
Saturday night in New York, declared
that President Hoover had made him
self the champion of the drys. particu-
larly when the President sent q dry
message to Congress along with the
report OF the Wickersham Commission
on prohibition. On the other hand.
Chairman Raskob of the Democratic
party. in a speech in New York also,
declared that Mr.. Hoover was prepared
TO run on wet platform II the Re-
publicans adopted it. Probably one of
these distinguished Democrats Is right.
The Democrats have pushed their
Sl5o, 900 600 road construction bill, as
a relef Tor unemployment, through the
House: 1t is particularly interesting
that the Democrats did not put into the
Dill any provision for a dole; no
measure of relief for the UNEMPLOYED
similar in any way to the original La
Follette-Costigan bill which failed not
long ago in the Senate. The Democratic
leadership Is not playing with flre-in
this case Federal dole-at this stage
OF the game. On the other hand. the
proposal Of the Democrats to appro-
pirate $135, ,000, 900 for road construction
when the Treasury of the United States
Is only something like $4,000, 600, 900
behind already and getting deeper in
the hole all the time, does not seem to
measure up with the demand of Speaker
Garner that no new legislation propos-
ing increased expenditures be brought
into the House by the Democratic-con-
trolled committees at this time. Repub-
licans are asking of what use to pare
down appropriation bills ten or a dozen
millions Of dollars only to go ahead and
spend $135, 100000 which the country
has not got in the Treasury.
X
The real situation of the Govern
ment, SO FAR as money Is concerned,
had a curious and realistic exposition
in the Senate not long ago. A resolu-
tion was called up by Senator Fess of
Ohio to authorize the expenditure of
$50 on the part of the Senate out of
its contingent fund to match a like
sum on the part of the House TO pur-
chase a wreath to place at the birth
place Of George Washington. Senator
Thomas Of Oklahoma called attention
to the fact that the only way the
money could be provided was for
the Federal Government to borrow it,