Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-17
MOVES FOR LIQUOR
REFERENDUM GAIN
Both Parties See Probable
Elimination of Dry Issue
in Campaign.
Continued From First Page }

NSOlitLA1ACo iOliI - oV "SSJ
the party. With nti-prohibition senti-
ment strong among Democrats in many
States Of the Union, the drys. may be
satisfied If they can keep the conven-
ton proposal down merely to a refer
endum plank.
Democrats Would Follow.
If the Republican National Conven-
ton should by any chance come around
to a plank fayorfng or recommending
in any way referendum on the pro-
hibition issue, the Democrats would
jump at the chance to get a referen-
dunn plank in their party platform, thus
taking the liquor issue out of the ma
tional campaign to very considerable
degree, If not entirely.
The fly in the ointment is the atti-
tude of the dry organizations OF the
country, like the AntiSaloon League
and the w. 9. T. IT, to the referendum
proposal. These organizations have
declined to listen to reason" They
are not going to have the national
political parties pledge themselves to
support referendum, which in the end
would mean resubmission OF the
eighteenth amendment to the people
of the States, either through consti-
tutloildl COLNtDtioilo VI tilOuSh eAiS
State Legislatures. Not if they can
prevent it.
On the twelfth anniversary of the
eighteenth amendment there was staged
in the Senate a typical debate on the
prohibition question yesterday after
noon, with Senator Morris Sheppard,
co-author Of the eighteenth amend
ment, singing the praises Of prohibi-
ton and Senator Tydings of Maryland
attacking the dry law.
During the debate Senator Sheppard
took a crack at the referendum Sug-
gestion of Chairman John j. Raskob,
although he did not devote much of
his time to this particular phase of the
matter He said:
1T is now proposed to submit an
amendment to the Federal Constitution
reviving State option, providing that
each State may say as to whether it
shall be wet or dry. This proposal is
mere retracement of old and futile
ground. Such is the aggressive and
sinister nature of the liquor traffic that
the State option system would fail
again, as it has already so signally
failed in the past"
Senator Tydings, on the other hand,
predicted the downfall of any political
party which would deny to the people
the right to vote on this question" He
said that those drys who opposed a
reference of the prohibition, issue to the
voters were saying in effect: You are
going to have prohibition because we
want you to have it."
Drys May Shift Stand.
Some Senators and Representatives
who have voted dry in the past are
likely to raise their voices soon in sup
port of a referendum. holding that
with an appreciable proportion of the
people demanding the right to vote on
this liquor issue it is only just to per-
init them to do So The American peo-
pie, they say, have right to determine
what shall be in their Constitution.
These drys offer consolation to the dry
party by declaring that in their opin-
ion the vets would be Overwhelmingly
beaten in a test of this kind Indeed,
they say they think the dry organiza-
ton rather stupid not to accept the
challenge of the vets, have a referen-
dunn or resubmission of the eighteenth
amendment in one form or another, as
any referendum would have to be, and
snow the vets under.
/ Leaders of the Anti-Saloon League,
| In Washington to attend the biennial
convention of the league, occupied seats
in the gallery while Senator Sheppard
and Senator Tydings debated the pro-
| hibition issue
| The Texas Senator said that bene-
| flcial as prohibition had been in this
country, at would have been fare more
helpful but for the fact that 1t has had
to contend with large minority sections
where it has been constantly ridiculed
and resisted.
They are seeking" he continued.
what they call referendum by Con-
gress on questions Of changing the
Constitution so as to legalize intoxi-
cants in States desiring them as well as
endeavoring to nullifv the Constitution
as related to prohibition by a congress
sianal statute restoring the alcoholic
drug in the form Of beer.
Let them exercise the referendum
now at their command and at the COM
nand of all citizens-the right OF petit
ton and appeal to the district ana
State constituencies on the question OF
instructing their Representatives ana
Senators in any manner they see mt as
to whether or not these officials shau
vote to submit an amendment to tAs