Evening star., 1932-06-30
WILD SCENES MARK
REPEAL VICTORY
Pandemonium Breaks Loose
and Delegates Stage Un-
preCedented Parade.
BY WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE.

CHICAGO, June 30 (NANA).-For
empty dinner pail clicked against the
foaming growler as the delegates from
40 States paraded in the Democratic
convention hall making the issue of
this campaign I'VE favor the repeal
Of the eighteenth amendment"
When these words came from the lips
Of Chairman Hitchcock of the Platform
Committee the great parade started.
1t was a gaudy riot. Here came the
great industrial States, New York,
Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jer-
sey. Illinois, Michigan. followed by the
Mountain States, Colorado, Montana,
Wyoming, Arizona and New Mexico
The border States, Kentucky. West
Virginia and Missouri, followed, with
the prairie States, Wisconsin, the
Dakotas and Nebraska, joining the
dance.
The standards Of Alabama. Kansas,
Oklahoma and few States Of the Far
South were held firmly by husky
guardians. who would not let them
move with the wet tide that was roll
ing over the great hall.
Dropped as Democratic Policy.
But it was clear to all as the State
pennants flickered gayly upon the SWELL
ing flood of Joy, that prohibition was
definitely and finally abandoned as q
policy of the Democratic party.
The Republican party had abandoned
Federal prohibition for Federal control
of the interstate traffic under a con-
stitutional amendment to be submitted
to the people OF the States; the Demo-
cratic platform provides for Federal
control under congressional action after
the repeal Of the eighteenth amend
ment.
The enthusiasm on the floor was for
beer. The bands played How Dry I
Am" Hail Hail. the Gangs All
Here" Sweet Adeline" and all the
wassail songs of the good old days. The
galleries were happy.
An apparent majority OF the dele
gates was in accord with the platform
reported by the committee.
After the minority report was read
the impattence of the crowd both in
the galleries and on the floor grew more
and more evident. as the debate grad
ually developed into vast dreary quar-
rel between supporters of the report
and the 10000 auditors in the hall.
Smith Brings Demonstration.
In the midst of this wrangle appeared
Al Smith, and for five minutes such a
pandemonium of delight burst into the
proceedings as are rarely witnessed In
modern conventions.
The delegates from all over the floor
rose on their chairs, waved their hats
and yelled, while the band played THE
Sidewalks Of New York" over and over
and Sweet Adeline." by way of diver
sion. Thus the Democratic party gave
its affectionate greeting to its leader.
Nothing could have been more sim
cere. But the banners of the Roosevelt
States for the most part remained still.
Smith stood where Bryan stood many
times in Democratic conventions -
Bryan, the beloved leader. who, like
Moses, was barred from the Promised
Land. Smiths appearance was the
high spot of the debate.
The passage of the repeal plank real
ly records aonther setback vote for
Roosevelt. 1t was his Subcommittee on
Resolutions that rejected straight re-
peal plank, although two Roosevelt men
voted for direct repeal. SO in general,
the passage of a fortnight repeal plank
is a Roosevelt defeat.
Before the convention opened, the
New York Governor seemed to have 1t
under full control. but his leaders have
failed to abrogate the two-thirds rule,
or to pass a middle course prohibition
plank However, the passage Of the
straight repeal plank gives raw meat TO
his foes, and NAV take the edge on
their appetite for Roosevelt's blood.
Tammany Happy.
The moment the Committee on
Resolutions announced its willingness
to accept the challenge Of the Repub-
ican convention by adopting drip
ping wet plank and immediate repeal.
the jubilant groups of repealers began
to celebrate their victory.
For the first time, Tammany was
really happy. 1t seemed willing to take
Roosevelt and lick the spoon.
The various socially important wo-
mems organizations opposed to prohi-
bition started their teas and rejoicing
in very good social form.
1t is apparent that there are many
from the South and the West who do
not like the plank the committee
adopted by a vote that indicated its
adoption by the convention.
If fate had let the Rooseveltians have
their way with the platform, the vets
might easily have demanded men OF
their own for President and Vice Pres
ident, but as it is the vets seem willing
to take some semi-arid Westerner for
Vice President and be satisfied. The
mood may change again before the ball
loting for candidates is finished, but
now Roosevelt can take it, and the tail
goes with the hide.
The plank declaring categorically
against the cancellation Of foreign debts
is a McAdoo plank The Roosevelt
strategists don't like it. The plank
would tie RooSevelt's hands in all fu-
ture negotiations with the allies, and
If Roosevelt's managers dared they
would fight it on the floor Of the con-
vention. But the issue is not one that
could be intelligently fought in the
convention against the nag WaYers and
the hundred percenters.
Expect Roosevelt to Hedge.
So the old League of Nations Will
Sonian Democrats have to grin and
bear it. They expect Roosevelt to
hedge on that plank in his speech OF
acceptance. But the Adams apple Of
the intellectualS in the convention
bobbed like a cork with a bass on the
hook as that plank went irrevocably
into the platform. 1t is the plank on
which McAdoo expects to run for the
Senate in California with Hearst sup
port, and is what McAdoo gets out OF
the Garner victory in California; fair
chunk of salvage.
AS the time for the nomination of
the candidate draws near it is becom-
ing evident that candidates opposing
Roosevelt cannot get together.
Ritchie's managers hoped that Al
Smith in a speech from the floor-his
swan song-withdrawing as presi-
Dental candidate, would blast the
boom and make Roosevelts
impossible. But with the
Democratic party in the hands of
RoOSevelt's Western and Southern
friends it makes small difference
Al Smith commits public spec
taeular hari-kari for the cause of per-
sonal liberty or eats his heart out in
His chance to pass out in a
blaze of glory, defying the Roosevelt
caf ~, ig ,,oce4,0 II anntlar dov tho