Evening star., 1932-07-05
AS Press Sees Dry Issue
Editorial Opinions Take Al Possible Directions, but
Agree That Nation Faces Real Battle
on Prohibition Law.
BY BYRON PRICE,
Associated Press stan Writer.


CHICAGO, July 5.-The prohibition
debates which swept both Of the great
party conventions In Chicago are con-
tinuing now in almost every community
with q ferocity lifting the question OF
the future of the dry laws to a new
eminence in national politics.
| Editorials gathered by the Associated
Press from hundreds of large and small
newspapers disclose that among all the
issues raised in the party platforms
! prohibition-or, rather, what shall be
done about prohibitions the absorb
| ing topic of local comment and agita-
| ton in every state.
! Many of the newspapers speak OF the
| Democratic plank favoring repeal and
| the Republican plank favoring subn11s-
| sion as presenting the one paramount
| question to be decided in November,
overshadowing even the presidential
! outcome.
Disagree on Importance.
Those who disagree with this view
take three directions: A few contend
there is no difference in effect between
the two planks. Others hold that no
real referendum Is possible in the pres
issue is intertwined with grave economic
problems. Still others point out that,
regardless of the outcome, it Is Congress
and not the President or party conven-
tionse which must act il there Is to be
actual revision.
No evidence Of an actual shift In the
party alignmentS of partisan newspa-
pers is presented, although in some
sections Of the South the editors warn
the Democrats of wet-dry schisms, and
some of the Republican independent
journals in anti-prohibition territory
condemn Republican 'pussyfooting"
and f1irt with the Democratic repeal
plank.
One considerable group Of preSum-
ably wet advocates analyze both party
plankS to assert that national prohibi-
ton Is doomed. They are answered by
militant drys, who insist the Chicago
conventions both were swept by wet
hysteria and that second thoughts will
be best.
Many and varied are the descriptions
attached to the two planks by editorial
writer's as they attempt to assess the
results at the polls in November.
Rejoice in Big Cities.
The big city dailies of New York,
Chicago and kindred industrial cen
ters unite in one shout of rejoicing
that both conventions went further
toward the wet side than expected be-
forehand. This view Is far from unan-
1mous, however, even among the Ma
tons largest and most influential pa
pers.
''The American people must decide
whether they want to stop prohibition
Vl6
the saloon and old conditions" says
the Kansas City Star. "or whether
they will hold the benefits that have
been gained under prohibition and dis
card its abuses under a moderate
change Of the existing system"
The San Francisco Chronicle declares
the chief party difference is that the
Republican platform seeks to keep the
prohibition question out of party poll
tics, where it does not belong, and in
which it cannot be settled, while the
Democratic party seeks to drag it into
the presidential election" The Los
Angeles Times remarks:
Unsatisfactory to prohibitionists as
was the Republican platform, the DEM
ocratic plank leaves them nowhere to
and this they win do by wholesale in
many States"
Among the smaller Journals, the
Mitchell Is. Dak.) Evening Republican
argues that "the Republican proposal
is much more likely to secure repeal
than that Of the Democrats" while the
Wausau (Wis) Record Herald agrees
that "the direct repeal plank of the
Democratic platform Is calculated to
delay rather than hasten repeal of the
eighteenth amendment" and the Helena
(Mont) Independent, disagreeing with
both, says:
Foresee Real Issue.
"They cannot be compared. The one
is definite pledge-the other is mean
ingless."
Certain 1t is that editors scattered
over very wide territory are con-
vinced a real inter party issue has been
presented to the electorate. Says the
Worcester (Mass.) Evening Gazette:
THE election is going to turn very
largely on the question Of prohibition"
And the Salt Lake (Utah) Telegram:
upon this (Democratic) frank express
sion toward prohibition the outcome of
the presidential election will probably
hinge" And the Cherokee (Iowa)
Daily Times: THE wet or dry issue Is
apt to be the overshadowing issue" The
OdllN1uG ANd.J DcC SECS III JllC 1oouC
"the vehicle through which victory or
defeat of the party will be brought
about"
1.-THE issue is joined" says the Au-
rora Gll,) Beacon-News. THE wet and
dry issue is laid down." agrees the
GAINESVILLE CWis) Gazette. Now that
the people know precisely where one
party stands on Federal prohibition,
they can vote straight and settle the
issue" concludes the st. Louis (Mo.)
Post Dispatch
This note of clarity as to just what
the controversy is all about is not,
however, unanimous. The Wilkesbarre
pa Record voices the sentiment Of
a considerable number of publications,
widely scattered, when 1t says that the
two planks provide for exactly the same
process Of determining whether liquor
shall or shall not be brought back, that
is, by giving the people, IN State con-
ventions, the right to decide"
Little Difference Seen.
Both parties stand equally for lib
eralization Of the eighteenth amend
ment," says the Lewiston (Me) Eve
ming journal. and down IN Texas the
Houston Chronicle puts 1t this way;
Under the platform adopted by
either the Republicans or the Demo-
Gratis, the ultimate power to reject or
ratify rests with the people themselves
in precisely the same way, whichever
plank you academically prefer"
There is a notable editorial hesitancy
about forecasting the results at the polls
in November. Many dailies, like the
the Washington ID. c. Evening Star.
content themselves with merely review
ing the provisions of the two planks,
determining the Democratic offering as
{ wet" and the Republican as not quite
so wet" and leaving the reader to
work it out for himself The tradi-
tionally dry Rochester IN. " Times
Union concludes its editorial thus:
THE net result is to emphasize the
wet position of the Democratic party as
opposed to the course approved by the
Republican convention"
Others are bolder. The OIL City (Pa.)
I Derrick states it as the general opinion
that the Democratic pronouncement
7 4