The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-01-22
The Raskob Letter.

(New York Word-Telegram)
 Shall the national Democracy go to pieces on the great issue of Prohibition?
 Or shall the Democratic Party preserve it's unity and its strength not by lodging the issue but by finding a common ground upon which all Demo- crats stand together in dealing with it?
 These questions underlie every word of Chairman Raskob's letter to the members of the Democratic National Committee
 That letter is the fullest, frankest recognition politics has yet accorded a plain truth that has become steadily more apparent to thoughtful Ameri- cans of all parties:-
 hibition is such an issue if there ever was one lis no respecter of party lines On the contrary, until it is disposed of such an issue will go on ruthlessly dsruptng parties confusing and dspac- ing other issues destroying party harmony, ham, lstringng party strength It is irrepressible It is beyond the control of any ont party because it cuts across all parties.
 The only way party deal with such an issue without splitting it is to hand it straight back to the people for their broad consideration and action. And MT. Raskob thinks he has found la method of doing this upon which all Democrats, wet and dry agree. For Democrat true to the fundamental principles of his party can deny the right of the, people to make a national ex- periment-or to reconsider and modify it in the light of it's results.
 Mir Raskob's proposed Democratic plank would have Congress give the people of the United States opportunity vote directly (by referendum whether they wish the Eighteenth Amendment to stand as lit is whether they would amend it to permit any State to take complete control of the manu- facture transportation importation and sale of in- ltoxcating beverages within it's own territory pro- vded the States plan of liquor control is approved by its people in Statewide referendum Obviously the people of the hrtysix States must first ratify the proposed constitutional amendment amending the Eighteenth
 Will this avoidance of direct repeal satisfy dry Democrats? If it does, wet Democrats might be willing to forego their demand for any foursquare party declaration in favor of out and out repeal. At this stage neither drys vets afford to say they have no faith in popular test. s Whether 1t succeeds or not we cannot but sym pathize with this effort to hold the Democratic Party intact and true to it's traditions without either minimizing lodging the essentially political issue which has bedevilled American politics.
 Between the extremists at either end of the Prohibition question there is great and grow ling middle body of Americans irrespective of party who have made up their minds there must be a change in present Prohibition law and who are not adverse to rational compromise Tn this great middle body is the nations best hope.
 The Raskob plan would tend to bring the Democratic Party into this temperate middle zone where temperate vets and temperate drys can get together.
 There is plenty of time for Democrats to null over the proposed plank What it says between the lines is ths:-
 You can't make the Democratic Party wholly wet or wholly dry You can't shelve the issue There fore put the issue straight into the hands of the people and maintain the front of Democracy un- broken
 party leaders try? Maybe But based on solid truth as well as politics.