Evening star., 1932-08-12
THE following are the Democratic
/ and Republican views of the
prohibition problem as expressed
IL, thu ,nnrtu r1affnrrnnc the NJ

4 in the party platforms. the ac-
ceptance speeches of the presi-
Dental candidates and the legislative
measures introduced this year which
are believed to approximate the views
Of President Hoover and Gov. Roose-
welt:
The Republican party platform said
THE Republican party has always
stood. and stands today, for obe1ience
to and enforcement of the law as the
very foundation of orderly government
and civilization. There can be no ma
tional security otherwise. The duty of
the President of the United States and
of the officers of the law is clear. TIE
law must be enforced as they find it
enacted by the people. To these courses
of action we pledge our nominees.
The Republican party IS, and always
has been, the party of the Constitution.
Notification by non-observance by lndl-
viduals or State action threatens the
stability of government.
while the Constitution makers sought
a high degree of permansnce, they
foresaw the need of changes and pro-
vided for them. Article V limits tne
proposals of amendments to two meth
ods-1 two-thirds of both houses Of
| Congress may propose amendments, or
(2) on application of the legislatures OF
two-thirdS of the States a national
convention shall be called by Congress
to propose amendments. Thereafter
ratification must be had in one of two
Ways-() by the legislatures OF three
fourths of the several States, or 90 by
| conventions held in three-fourths OF
| the several States. Congress is given
power to determine the mode of ratif1-
cation.
Sanction for ReferendumS.
| "Referendums without constitutional
sanction cannot furnish decisive an
sWer. Those who propose them inno-
Gently are deluded by false hopes; those
who propose them knowingly are de-
| ceiving the people.
"A nation wide controversy over the
eighteenth amendment now abstracts
attention from the constructive solu-
| ton of many pressing national prob
| lens. The principle of national pro-
| hibition as embodied in the amendment
was supported and opposed by members
of both great political parties. 1t was
submitted to the States by members OF
Congress of different political faiths
and ratified by State legislatures Of
| different political ma jorities. 1t was not
| then, and is not now, a partisan politi-
cal question.
Members of the Republican party
hold different opinions with respect to
it. and no public official or member Of
| the party should be pledged or forced
/ to choose between his party affiliations
and his honest conviction upon this
question.
I'VE do not favor a submission lin
| tied to the issue of retention or repeal
For the American Nation never in its
| history has gone backward, and in this
case the progress which has been thus
far made must be preserved, while the
evils must be eliminated.
Opportunity of Vote.
I'VE therefore believe that the people
! should have an opportunity to pass
/ upon a proposed amendment the provi
| sion of which, while retaining in the
! Federal Government power to preserve
| the gains already made in dealing
with the evils inherent in the liquor
| traffic, shall allow States to deal with
| the problem as their citizens may de-
| termine, but subject always to the power
| of the Federal Government to protect
! those States where prohibition may ex-
| ist and safeguard our citizens every
| where from the return of the saloon
and attendant abuses.
Such an amendment should be
promptly submitted to the States by
Congress, to be acted upon by State
! conventions called for that sole pur-
pose in accordance with the provisions
of Article V of the Constitution, and
| adequately safeguarded so as to be
| truly representative"
Democrats for Repeal.
| The Democratic platform plank reads:
! 1--WE favor the repeal Of the eight
eenth amendment.
ITO effect such repeal we demand
that the Congress Immediately propose
a constitutional amendment to purely
representative conventions in the States
called to act solely on that proposal.
I'VE urge the enactment of such
measures by the several States as Will
actually promote temperance, etfec-
| lively prevent the return of the saloon
and bring the liquor traffic into the
open under complete supervision anu
control by the States.
eve demand that the Federal Gov
ernment effectively exercise its power
to enable the States to effectually pro-
tect themselves against importation OF
intoxicating liquors in violation OF their
laws.
Pending repeal, we favor immediate
modification of the VOIstead act to
IegaIize the manufacture and sale OF
beer and other beverages of such alco-
holic content as is permissible under
the Constitution and to provide there
from a proper and needed revenue"
Presidents View Given.
Referring to prohibition in his speech
of acceptance, President Hoover said:
Across the path Of the Nations con-
sideration of these vast problems OF
economic and social order there has
arisen a bitter controversy over the
control Of the liquor traffic. l have
always sympathized with the high pur-.
pose of the eighteenth amendment, ano
l have used every power at my com
mand to make it effective over the en-
tire country. I have hoped it was the
final solution of the evils Of the liquor
traffic against which our people nave
striven for generations. 1t has sue
ceeded in great measure in those many
communities where the majority senn-
ment is favorable to it. But IN otner
and increasing number of communities
there is a majority sentiment unfavor-
able to it. Laws opposed by majority
; sentiment create resentment which un-
dermineS enforcement and in the enc
produces degeneration and crime.
Our opponents pledge the members
of their party to destroy every VeStlge
Of constitutional and effective Fedora
control Of the traffic. That means ovei
large areas the return Of the saloor
system, with its corruption, its mora
and social abuse which debauched tht
; home, its deliberate interference with
those States endeavoring to find honeS
solution, its permeation Of political par
( ties, and its pervasion Of legislatures
= which even touched at the Capital o.
the Nation. The eighteenth amend
; ment smashed the regime as ny strok'
of lightning. I cannot consent TO th'
Y return of that system.
''At the same time we must recognize
= the difficulties which have developed II