Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-06-14


are like the Conyes, Of whom it is
written, The Conyes are feeble folk
yet they build their homes among the
rock The dry rock in this instance
is the White House
No word has come from the White
House authoritatively. Seven members
Of the cabinet are de,egates-three wet
and four dry. at least reasonably dry
but this is the largest group of cabinet
members that ever sat as delegates in
a national convention.
Advisers ht-Lipped.
The Presidents secretary. Mr.. Richey.
is here, and his political adviser, Ray
Benjamin, is here. but no one has been
abe TO squeeze out one syllable from
these worthless committing the Presi-
dent to either extreme position in this
prohibition contest.
Yet the White House is, after all, the
rock against which the repealers beat
in vain-the refuge of the little dry
Conyes of the rocks
A new ultra left repeater has ap-
peared. He is the man who wants the
repeal to come at an extra session of
Congress called forthwith. He declares
that in the ordinary course, il prohibit
ton Is left to referendum Congress
will have to be elected in 1882 which
will not meet until December, 1888. to
call State conventions in 1884, so that
actual congressional legislation enacting
the repeal will not come until 1895.
Hence the feve:lsh forthwith" re-
pealer. who wants Congress to meet in
special session and start the machinery
for the referendum right now. He IS
the extreme left wing OF the vets. He
and his kind are making most Of the
noise and enjoying most of the dizzy
visions in connection with this prohibi-
ton contest in the convention.
Offered for Trading.
The New York delegation and the
New Jersey delegation have passed Wig
orouS left wing wet resolutions which
are for trading purposes. They repre-
sent an extreme position which their
leaders know is good position to take
for swapping purposes with the bone
drys. But it is hardly likely that Ogden
Mills, President Hoovers Secretary of
the Treasury, member of the Resolu-
lions Committee and platform maker
for the convention, will in the end go
further than what seems to be the
White House limit-a referendum under
constitutional forms after substitute
for prohibition has been agreed upon
among a majority Of members Of the
Congress.
This program, it is evident, postpones
any serious change in the law or in the
enforcement Of the law so long as Mr..
Hoover is in the White House for three
or four years. Probably upon that po-
sition the leaders Of the convention
will stand. The game of the STAN
pederS is to get them off their feet by
clamor and noise.
1t has been 20 years since any one
tried to stampede Republican con-
vention Theodore Roosevelt and the
Progressives were the last assault in
Chicago in 1912. They had or claimed
to have a majority OF the delegates,
but they didn't have the organization.
They had, and demonstrated in the
election, a majority of the Republicans
in the Republican States.
For a week before the convention OF
1912 bands were blaring and crowds
were clamoring up and down this same
Michigan avenue and mobS were roar
| ing and Chicago was in tumult in these
same hotels with Progressive demon
STATIONS. Yet the delegates on the
floor seated by credentials did not bulge
an inch. Orders were orders then. The
Republican party in its Sanhedrim takes
its program, is disciplined, ignores mob
tactics and even stands under fire.
Orders Were Orders.
Thirty-six years ago, in st. Louis,
when William Mckinley was nominated,
a great block of delegates from the
silver States bolted the convention and
marched out when the platform de-
clared for the gold standard. They had
bands. They waved banners and flags
and wore badges and had slogans, but
the delegates saw them 60. dramatic
phalanx, out of the convention, The
delegates did not finch.
Orders were orders then as they were
| in 1912 and probably as they are today.
But in this demonstration, just be-
fore the convention convenes, we have
another crowd in the mob. In 1896 it
was the wild and Woolly West in up
roar. In 1912 the Progressive repre-
scented a considerable section of the
common people, small business men,
country bankers, court house politicians,
farmers, the upper ranks OF organized
labor, the petite bourgeoise.
But this present parade Is an en-
bee1tlad paNaoeraeE ahas1tnS ~ as