Evening star., 1932-02-17
HOOVER HANDS OFF
c: 0.P. VETS HOPE
Referendum Plank With Ma
jority Support Seen Pos.
sibIe by Group.
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.

Republican "wets" are basing their
hopes for a referendum plank in the
Republican national platform on Presi-
dent Hoovers maintaining a hands-of
policv it developed today.
The group of vets" admittedly in
fiuential in the Republican party and
including some of the Presidents closest
advisers. feel that if the President will
say nothing about prohibition or
referendum plank until and during the
national convention in Chicago, they
will have a good chance to put through
a referendum plank. Some of them
claim they see a possibility for a ma
jority vote for such a plank already.
These vets do not expect at present
to commit Mr.. Hoover to referendum
plank. They would like to have his ap-
proval of such plank, of course, but
what they are hoping for today is neu-
trality on the part of the President
until the platform can be adopted next
June Some OF them say they expect
such neutrality.
Determination to Fight.
If the President should come out
definitely against a referendum plank
on national prohibition, or even if he
should pass the word quietly to the
Republican leaders that he was against
such plank, the task of the vets would
manifestly be much more difficult But
even under those conditions Repub-
lican vets from a number Of the States
would fight On to have some kind OF a
referendum plank adopted.
Dry Republican leaders active in
party affairs insisted today that they
were sure President Hoover had not ap-
proved any plan for the insertion OF a
referendum plank in the Republican ma
tional platform. Some of them ad-
mitted, however, that there was no
doubt strong group of Republican
vets was doing all it could to bring
about the adoption of referendum
plank The drys insisted that the at
tempt would fail.
Just what form the proposed referen-
dunn plank advocated by the vets will
take is still a matter of conjecture.
However. some of the vets are talking
of drafting plank which would re-
quire a majority of the States to act
in favor of a referendum before the
resubmission of the eighteenth amend
ment would be undertaken.
1t does not seem probable majority
of rs States in favor of reSubmission
could be obtained among the States
today. Considerably less than score
of States might be expected to adopt
any request for resubmission OF the
eighteenth amendment.
Strength for Party Lines.
However, the wet Republicans feel
that a referendum plank, even of that
character might keep in line for the
Republican national ticket vets who
otherwise would decline to vote for the
ticket. They argue. too, that such a
referendum plank would scarcely arouse
bitter opposition among the drys.
1t is common talk among the Repub-
licans that Postmaster General Brown,
who may be the chairman of the Re-
publican National Committee and cam
paign manager for the President this
year. leans toward the wet side of the
question. Another of the cabinet men,
bers who believes that the Republicans
should at least give an even break to
the vets in the party is Secretary of
the Treasury Mills.
Advice From New Jersey.
Republican leaders in New Jersey,
where wet sentiment is strong. are
understood to have advised the Presi-
dent referendum plank should be per-
mitted to 60 into the platform this
year. The Jersey leaders, including the
two Senators. Kean and Barbour, and
former Senator Walter E. Edge. now
Ambassador to France. are planning to
send Hoover delegation to the Re-
publican National Convention. At the
same time they intend to make fight
for some kind of wet plank, or at
least a referendum plank, to be in
serted in the party's national platform.
While President Hoover Is being
urged by wet Republicans in high
places not to oppose the referendum
plank, dry Republicans who have
great influence are urging him to take
a firm stand against any plank which
might be offensive to the supporters of
prohibition.
The stage appears set for strenu-
GUS fight over prohibition in the COM
ing Republican National Convention.
The Dry Republicans fully expect such
q contest and are preparing for 1t.