Evening star., 1932-06-26

- RANTING in the first place
that 1t would be beyond human
II ingenuity to construct party
~ plank on prohibition that
would adequately and with
complete safety bridge the many pit
falls awaiting such effort and grant
ing that the Republican plank has al
ready been rendered more or less pre-
carious by the hacksaws Of such able
critics as Senator Borah, the ques-
ton now is whether the Democrats,
profiting by any errors OF omission or
commission on the part of their rival
partisans. will be able TO DO more
satisfactory job.
"A more satisfactory job" Of course,
depends upon what constitutes a salts
factory job OF platform making by
party about to go before the people
with bid for ballots. The job Is not
politically satisfactory If it allenates,
at the outset, any large group OF voters.
the lob would not be satisfactory when
It concerns prohibition If it antagonized
the dry voters and it would not be
satisfactory 1. it antagonized the wet
voters. BY satisfactory" IN this case,
then, one means plank that comes
nearest the desideratum of satisfying the
greatest number OF people as to the
Sl0CeTlLV ana lIlE dOnlby Va LAAt paw
to deal effectively with recognized evils
ACCOMPANYING the prohibition expert
ment and of suggesting method that
promises the most acceptable solution.
Bishop Cannon's Analysis.
Bishop Cannon has made an analysis
Of the Republican plank that should
be acceptable 10 everybody as a cor
rect statement of its principles. up
to a certain point it might serve as
the standard Interpretation. Those VINO
disagree with Bishop Cannon's inter-
nretation do not differ from him as TO
his statement Of the principles out
lined by the plank, but on the prac-
tical applicability OF those principles
AS a reminder of what the Repuoncan
plank means. therefore, Bishop can
mons analysis Is republsneo here' as
follows:
al. 1t pledges the party to the en-
forcement of the law ana opposes
notification.
"2, Referenda without constitu-
tional sanction are void.
"3 Prohibition is not partisan
political question, and no public ON,
cial. which includes Senators ana
Congressmen, nor any members OF
the Republican party, are Douno py
the convention action on this queS-
ton.
submission on the question of reten-
fion or repeal of the eighteenth 4
amendment without substitute, the
substance of which is presented In
the plank adopted by the conven-
tim
IS. The convention declares that
Congress should submit this Substl-
tute as an amendment to be acted
upon by State conventions. ms
action would give the people an OPP
portunity to decide whether they Will
retain the eighteenth amendment
unchanged or will adopt an amend,
ment which will permit the several
States to legaliZe the sale OF 1ntox1-
cants as their citizens may deter
mine, such legislation to be subject
to the power Of the Federal Govern
ment to protect those States where
prohibition exists and to safeguard
the citizens everywhere from the re-
turn of the saloon and Its attendant
evils.
"There are two outstanding facts.
First. the convention does not pledge
anv ominees Of the party to follow
any specific course. 1t does aoVlse
that a certain definite action be
taken by Congress which will submit
to the people the question OF the re-
tention of the eighteenth amend
ment or the adoption Of a proposed
substitute. 1t does not declare any
preference as between the eighteenth
amendment and the substitute pro-
posed. =,
THE second outstanding fact Is
that this question of the retention OF
the eighteenth amendment or the
substitution of the proposed amend
ment. automatically becomes an issue
in the Fall senatorial and congress
sionsl elections, as only Congress can
decide whether it will submit any
resolution and, If so, what shall be
the exact terms Of the resolution to
be submitted"
Democratic Plank Possibilities.
With Bishop Cannon's analysis thus
presented, it may be interesting to take
up the points as he enumerates them
and to look into the possibilities LOT
variance between this plank and that