Evening star., 1932-06-30
They Make 1t the Issue.

BY stroke LnaL lIlIOWS COulpI OlAiAS0
and caution to the winds, the Demo
Gratis have made outright repeal of pro-
hibition a partisan issue in the forth
coming campaign. The compromisers
and the cautious have been run down
and run over roushshod. Those Of them
who are Democrats, who picked them
selves UP battered and bruised on this
morning after the night before, can do
one of two things: They can take it or
leave it. But there is no middle ground
left for them to stand upon. Dry
Democrats who will now enter the lists,
head bloody but unbowed, must re-
pudiate See platform of their party.
The prohibition plank adopted last
night by the overwhelming vote of s3434
to 2l334- four and one-half votes not
being recorded-iS plain enough and
definite enough to avoid all confusion
over its meaning. 1t is not only wet.
1t is, weighed by standards that up to
this time have prevailed, dripping wet.
The full significance Of its proposals,
however, are best understood by a COM
parison on four points with the re-
Gently adopted Republican plank.
l. The Democrats as party champion
naked repeal Of the eighteenth amend
nent and the removal, body, bones and
ayrnn book, too" of constitutional con-
troll over the liquor traffic.
The Republican plank champions
only the submission Of a substitute
amendment to the Constitution, modify
ing the eighteenth and retaining in the
Federal Government the right to super
visory control Of the liquor traffic. The
Republican party, however, does not
champion the proposed substitute as
against the eighteenth amendment.
2. The Democratic plank binds its
partisans, as much as any plank can,
to its support. If they can bolt the
plank without endangering their party
allegiance, the method and procedure
remain unspecified
The Republican plank specifically
recognizes the right Of Republicans to
vote wet or dry without putting in
jeopardy their standing as Republicans.
8. The Democratic plank would return
the control of the liquor traffic to the
States and urge" the enactment Of
State measures to promote temperance
and effectively prevent the return of
the saloon" 1t demands that the Fed
eral Government effectively exercise its
power" to protect the dry States against
the wet States without mentioning the
source of such power.
The Republican plank would return
part of the control of the liquor
traffic to the States, but by constitu
tional amendment retain in the Federal
Government power to preserve the
gains already made in dealing with the
evils inherent in the liquor traffic" with
a constitutionally derived power Of the
Federal Government utilized to protect
the States where prohibition may exist
and Safeguard our citizens everywhere
from the return Of the saloon and at
tendant abuses"
4. The Democratic plank contains
nowhere any mention of enforcing the
law as it stands, but proposes the "im-
mediate" modification Of the VolStead
act to "legalize the manufacture and
sale of beer and other beverages Of
such alcoholic content as is permissible
under the Constitution" Under the
Constitution the manufacture and sale
of Intoxicating beverages are forbid
den.
The Republican plank specifically de-
clares for enforcement Of the law and
binds members of the party who are
officials to enforce the law "as they
find 1T enacted by the people" 1t is
against notification "by non observance
by individuals or State action"
The planks are in agreement on the
reference OF the amendment to State
conventions as against State Legis-
latures.
But the Republican plank declares,
Eve do not favor a submission limited TO
the issue of retention or repeal"
And the Democratic plank sayc. we
favor the repeal Of the eighteenth
amendment"
That is the issue on prohibition that
the Democrats have boldly decided to
make their issue with the Republican
party.