The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-06-01
MOIST PLANK
DRAFTED BY
jim WATSON
Senator Sends Proposal to
Indiana for Adoption at
G. O. P. Convention.
ROBINSON %TOLERATES IT
Stays Bone Dry, but viii
Not Attempt to Dictate
to Delegates.
BY WALKER STONE
Times Stan Writer

WASHINGTON, June Sen
ator James E. watson's model
moist plank" sent to Indiana fol
adoption by the forthcoming Re-
publican state convention, aprar-
emily is inoffensive to the drys.
Anyhow, Senator Arthur Robin
son, who rates 100 per cent with
the Anti Saloon League. doesn't in
tend to raise his voice in protest
against its insertion in the party
platform.
Not that Robinson likes the idea.
Far from it, He sbhors the
thought of anything tending to
criticise the status quo of prohi-
bition.
He has not, and will not, give his
sanction to his colleagues pro-
posal to place the Grand Old
Party" on record in favor of a
statewide referendum and con-
yention to determine the wishes Of
Indiana in regard to prohibition.
ton.
Not Bound by Proposal
Harmless as that proposal is,
Robinson doesn't like it. Yet he
will not oppose 1t. On the other
hand, if it is adopted by the state
Republican convention, he will not
be bound by it.
IF it was up to me to write the
prohibition plank for the state
platform" said Robinson, L simply
would call for strict enforcement OF
the eighteenth amendment and all
laws enacted in support of it.
But I shall not presume to die
tate to the delegates what they
should write into the platform. My
views have been solicited on this
question, and I have said that l am
dry, intend to remain dry and am in
favor Of q bone dry plank. But / have
washed my hands of the response
bility and have declared that the
text of the platform should be
framed by the delegates and by the
party nominees who are up for
election this year.
Regardless what the state plat
form. or, for that matter, the ma
tional platform, says about prohi-
bition. 1 shall continue to vote dry.
l shall not consider the platform
a mandate to me. l was elected as
a dry, always have voted dry, and
do not intend to change"
Won't Scratch Ticket
Asked whether he would support
Watson and other Republican can
didateS in event they run as vets
Robinson said:
Certainly I'll support them.
never have and never will scratch
my ticket. I can not see that a
plank in a platform should make
any difference to me-"
Robinson is perhaps the most
jealous dry in the senate today. In
the press gallery one often hears
the remark:
Robinson is the only senator who
still can put blood and thunder in
a prohibition speech. He, alone.
still believes in it,"
The junior senator from In
diana, with Don Quixotic fervori
thrusts his spear at beer barons'
and whisky magnates," and sets
out to demolish the long-vanished
corner saloon"
I'm for prohibition until the
vets show us something better" he
shouts, in a manner calculated tc
convince his listeners that he viii
refuse to be shown.
Plank Is Studied
watson's so-called moist plank is
now in Indiana, where it is being
subjected to close scrutiny by certain
party wheelhorses, upon whom
Watson is depending for strategical
management of his campaign.
At don't know whether the boys
will approve it or not" said Wat
son. But they asked me to let
them know what I wanted in the
way Of a prohibition plank, so
made a tentative draft and sent it
to them.
1T says that the prohibition law
should be enforced strictly so long
as it is on the statute books. Then
its asserts that the people have the
right to repeal OF amend any law,
and proposes the election Of dele
gates to a convention called for no
purpose except to express the will
Of the people on prohibition"
watson, within the last two weeks,
twice voted against legalizing and
taxing beer. But in both instances
he said he voted against the pro-
posals because they were offered as
amendments to the revenue bill.
Il voted no. because I am against
any change in the tax bill not ap-
proved by the finance committee. II
a straight beer bill is brought be-
fore the senate. I shall vote for it..