Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-06-15
ORDERS AWAITED
ON PLANK DRAFTS
Observer Says Hoover Aides
Have Way on Everything
Except Prohibition.
BY WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE,

e..
Special Dispatch to The Star.
CHICAGO. June 15.-The delegates
to the Republican National Convention
are now awaiting orders When orders
come the line of battle will be drawn
1t is odd-and Us Kipling says: Most
awful odd"-that in this terrible hour
of world confusion, the only orders
which will interest this convention are
those concerning a minor issue-that of
prohibition, an issue which has no
significance in the slow subsistence of
wealth into the chaos that seems to be
inexorably engulfing the world
Orders will not be needed to pass any
part Of the platform which the Presi-
dents friends have made except that
part relating to prohibition. His friends
are having their way absolutely In the
matter Of the tariff financial recon-
struction foreign relations. farm relief
unemployment. the gold standard, con-
servation Of resources -eVerything he
desires will be given to him.
The night before the convention
opened four members Of his cabinet and
Henry Allen. representing the Methodist
Board of Strategy. labored far into the
night at the Chicago Club to line out
the prohibition plank.
VIII Declare Against Repeal.
Today 1t is no secret in Chicago that
the plank will declare early and en-
phatically I'VE do not favor the repeal
OF the eighteenth amendment" after
which declaration will come a pledge
committing Republican members of
Congress Immediately to submit to
State conventions a plan for the con-
troll of the sale of liquor which shall
enlist the Federal Government in help
ing the States to uphold and maintain
such a solution OF the liquor problem as
the States may adopt.
After this declaration will come a
pledge for enforcement Of the law until
a new law, under new amendment,
Is written This is such a plank as
those who knew the situation realized
must come from the Presidents friends
on the Committee of Resolutions.
The wet members Of the Committee
on Resolutions. led By Senator Bling
ham. are considering whether or not to
oppose this plank with a minority re-
port en- the floor OF the convention BY
wet one means now in the new
situation an advocate Of immediate.
unconditional. forthwith repeal without
alternative, without ameliorating sug-
sestion. without Federal interference or
assistance in the local liquor laws to
be written by the States.
In fact We have a new kind Of dry
here as we'll. and the vets as above
defined are meeting with astonishment
amounting to CONSERVATION this mill
tant new referendum dry. The new
dry wants to fight. He Is eager to get
at the referendum and meet his foes.
the vets. The old bore-dry, last ditch
prohlbitionist. to whom the eighteenth
amendment was holy writ, has passed
out Of the picture in American politics
and the vets. who came to Chicago to
fight him, find their ammunition a
little short-ranged for their adversaries
on this new line Of battle.
Battle Would Go to States.
And here's another thing The plank
submitted to the President by his cab
met and friends provides a direct. easy,
definite way to come to grips On the
prohibition question. If the path is
taken alcng the lines of this prohibition
plank as it now stands. the Congress to
be elected will draft Immediately an
other prohibition amendment along
lines above indicated. Congress will
then call State conventions, TO be held
in all the States on the same day. with
the election Of delegates to those con-
ventionS also TO be held on a common
day, probably some time in 1894.
Then, after the contest for the word
ing Of the proposed amendment is over
In Congress, prohibition and the eight
zenith amendment will be out of the
American Congress forever unless the
eighteenth amendment Is sustained by
the people.
The battle under the proposed plan
will 60 TO the States. The conventions
in the States probably will be held not
later than 1895 and the matter settled
once and for all.
But if the plan of the die-hard re-
pealers is adopted Congress will be the
battlefield until such a time as the new
vets are able to conquer the new drys
maybe three years, maybe five years,
maybe 10 years.
In the meantime the wet and dry
issue will be all mixed up in the con-
gressional elections of 1882 and 1884.
If the forthwith intransigent repealers
have their way. Inevitably If the vets
refuse to accept substitute amend
ment which offers the alternative be-
tween a new plan and the present plan
they are in for long hard fight in
which, during our era of reconstruc-
ton and returning prosperity. prohibit
ton will be made a paramount issue
and we shall have to beat back to
prosperity lodging around beer
wagon.
These are the arguments one hears
around the hotel Hobbies now. This is
the situation as it developed since Mon
day night. when the new plank was
drafted and telephoned to the White
House.
Opening Had to Be Formal
The proceedings of the opening dav
Of the convention, in the nature of
things, had to be formal. 1t is not in
the modern Republican tradition to tint
the rosy dawn of better day upon the
misty mountain tops. and Chairman
Dickinson's speech was a hard boiled
speech--ritualistic after the manner of
the high priests Of the Sanhedrin. de-
nouncing the Democrats. expanding the
phylacteries Of their political garments,
defending the ancient faith.
The bridge of hope which Mr.. Dick
nson would build was hack to yester-
day, not to tomorrow. This also was
after the Republican manner which
does not hail the new day until its sun
set when 1t is the Republican practice
to point with pride To yesterdays dawn.
But the opening speech was the kind
Of speech that the delegates desired
They wanted no nonsense They are
lineal descendants of Gradgrind, enam-
ored of hard facts And they got hard
facts in the best vernacular Of the tenn
pie If the speech did not arouse the
emotions Of those who love to gaze at
the crystal ball and see nobler times
and gorgeous changes. so much the
worse for them. They forget that 20
years age at The crossroads it was Mr.
Taft and his kind and not the Roose-
veltians who had their way in the Re-
publican Convention, and today from
this convention the progressives have
vanished beyond the twilights purple
rim.
One of the looming tragedies of the