The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-03-02
Hoover's Noble Experiment

President Hoover continues to be perfectly consist
ent in his policy on prohibition. His is the policy of
evasion. He now has sent to congress his long-awaited
special message and recommendations for legislation
on law enforcement. But it turns out to have very
little to do with prohibition. Indeed, there is only one
brief reference to prohibition, and that applies solely
to the District of Columbia place where there are
no voters.
This latest evasion is~in line with the Hoover record
of four years. During the 1928 pre-convention cam
paign, he allowed his associates to advertise him as a
wet to the vets and a dry to the drys. Later, his own
campaign statements we're of the same d~ouble-mean-
ing type.
Then he got the idea of a commission to investi-
gate. That, of course, was not particularly a new idea;
politicians long had used the commission ruse as a
convenient method of avoiding commitment on con-
troversial issues.
But, at least, it was assumed that Hoover's evasion
and delay would lead to eventual action. Even his
worst enemies did not charge or think that he would
refuse to accept the recommendations of his hand
picked commission, when, in the convenient future.
those recommendation were made.
But he did just that. His Wickersham commits
sion, by a safe majority and after long investigation,
declared in favor of modification or repeal. Not one
member of the commission found the existing prohi-
bition laws acceptable.
Instead of accepting his commissions findings, or
at least passing them along to congress in good faith,
Hoover, in a special message, distorted those findings
to the extent that most citizens probably still think
that the Wickersham wet report was a dry report.
From the nature of the Presidents latest special
message on law enforcement, which deals almost ex-
clusively with nonprohibition matters, it is assumed
that Hoover will have nothing more to say to con-
gress on prohibition in this administration.
He may, however, adopt his evaSive tactics to meet
new conditions. If the vets of his party capture the
Republican convention and force a moist or refer
endum plank into the platform, probably Hoover will
get on that band wagon and ride along.
If the Democrats pick a wet presidential candi-
date, as now seems likely, it is generally believed that
Hoover will find it convenient to become a moist can
didate. That would be safe-the drys probably would
have to support him as the lesser of two evils, if not in
return for four years OF past favors, and at the same
time he would retain many wet voters who are Re-
publicans first and vets second.
Obviously, the victory of the vets in the house of
representatives Tuesday, in obtaining the 145 petition
signatures required to bring up the Beck-Linthicum
modification amendment, shows the wet trend in the
Republican party.
Even though it is only an initial skirmish in the
coming battle, it is the first real wet victory in con-
gress since prohibition. A few more such victories.
added to the wet results of virtually all the test by
elections during the last two years, very we'll may lead
to a moist Republican platform and a moist Hoover.
All of which may be a political experiment. on
HooTer's part, but not exactly noble in purpose"
Winter was late in coming out this year, and it
Will be the same with Fall. The wires say the ex-
s~ecretary's parole from the penitentiary has been post
poned until May.
That's the ticket" shouted our Chinese laundry
man when told the United States was siding with
China in her row with Japan.
Japan's army apparently is willing to keep right
on defending its citizens as long as China has one
coolie left.
Why has the Geneva disarmament conference
overlooked Chicago?
It's necessary to use arplanes in Africa to hunt for
copper. That's no place for gold diggers.