The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-08-12

HOOver's Speech
President Hoover's acceptance speech impressed us
as an exceedingly well-written and, the whole,
frank statement of his conservative position.
For the first time he makes clear his attitude to-
ward prohibition He lines up with the moderate drys,
by favoring revision rather than repeal He is willing
to submit the states the question of his brand of
revision, but he is not willing to submit the question
Of outright repeal
He does not pledge himself definitely, or his party,
to do anything to achieve hasten revision Of
the eighteenth amendment And, of course, he does
not pledge himself to any modification of the dry
laws pending change of the amendment.
This is consistent position for a dry who, he
says, always has sympathzed with the high purpose
of the eighteenth amendment" and who now wishes to
cling to much Of it as public opinion will permit.
1t would block legislation and taxation of beer
and wines for several perhaps for many years and
1t would postpone indefinitely vote outright
repeal.
The Democratic platform puts liquor control
squarey to the states and urges the states to pre-
vent return of the saloon
The Republican platform-and President Hoovers
speech of acceptance-also puts liquor control up to
the states, subject however to the Constitution of
the United States retaining provisions that will pro-
neghbors and from return of the saloon
Both parties, therefore, oppose the saloon.
The objection to the Republican method is that it
won't work That fact has been demonstrated for
twelve years. If the states can't control the liquor
problem within their borders the federal govern
ment can't.
Retention in the Constitution Of anything that
throws part of the responsibility for enforcement on
the federal government divides the responsibility and
divided responsibility contains within it the germ of
Its own failure.
The fundamental reason why federal enforcement
has failed is that police regulation has no place in
the Constitution of the United States.
Insofar as the federal government acts as between
states to prevent invasion" by neighborng states it is
performing a proper federal function-whch was
performed before the eighteenth amendment and
which would be continued after prohibition repeal.
But, insofar as the federal government itself in
vades state and takes hand in the states en-
forcement affairs, it is engaging in an endeavor the
utter failure of which is the reason both great DO
htca parties now admit that there must be a change
This operation of getting rid of prohibition and
back into a system in which the responsibility for
control rests where it should resa system in which
real temperance once again may have chance to
thrive-must be clear cut. Inch at time amputation
only prolongs the agony.
We believe that the people, through specially
elected state conventions, have right to vote on the
fiat question of repeal which Hoover would deny
them. Pending that decision of the people on the
amendment, we favor speedy Vostead modification by
congress. In short, we favor the Democratic plank.
The President is frank in defending the high tariff
We believe it has provoked disastrous international
trade and that business destroyed by it can not
be prosperous again until the tariff is lowered
Unfortunately the Presdent-like his opponent,
Mr. Roosevelt-is less frank regarding the debts
armament problem, which is retarding business re-
covery In sentence he seems to favor conditional
debt cancellation in trade for European markets but
in the next sentence he seems to oppose any form of
cancellation.
The scripps-H Howard and Borah proposal for Joint
reduction of debts and ornaments which has re-
ceived such wide support in this country is ignored
by the President
He appears unaware of the Russian recognition
problem or that better relations with that country
would help to check a Japanese war and would open
rich market for our depressed industries; or that
present federal unemployment relief is Inadequate
Throughout his long discussion of the depression.
there is suggestion that basic changes are needed
In our economic system.
Reading the Presidents appeal for reelection we
get the impression of sincere conservative sobered
by past mistakes and by vast responsibility.