Evening star., 1932-08-13
DEMOCRATS SCORE
PRESIDENTS STAND.
Senator Robinson Speaks for
i Leaders in Denouncing
miracle Man."
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, August 13-Prohibition
was called one of the three vulnerable
places in the armor of the miracle man"
last night in a concerted Democratic
attack on President Hoover's accept
ence speech.
Nearly two dozen lieutenants of de-
mocracy, gathered at national campaign
headquarters for strategy conferences,
agreeu to let Senator Joseph r. Robin
son, Alfred E. Smiths running mate in
1928, act as critic for all of them.
In a 600-word statement, the Demo-
cratic Senate leader from Arkansas as
sailed the President for his utterances
on emergency measures, the tariff and
prohibition.
On prohibition he said:
Doubt Declared Existing.
''There is still doubt as to the posi-
ton of the Republican party and its
nominee for President respecting this
acute controversy.
1.-The President denounces bootleggers
All law-abiding citizens do.
THE President denounces the saloon.
No political party has championed or
sponsored it,
as to restore to the States the power
of regulating the liquor traffic without
permitting them to license saloons, but
he does not give even a cloudy picture
of what changes he favors or an
ticipates.
THAT he has reversed his position in
part on the subject Is undeniable, but
the amusing fact must be apparent to
all, namely, that he has never made
clear what his position is, even though
1t may be admitted that he is not as
dry as he was believed to be In 1923
and until his acceptance speech was
published"
On emergency measures Robinson
said the President had greatly exag-
gerated the benefits derived from such
measures" He asserted the Reconstruc-
ton Finance Corporation had made
few loans" and 'in consequence buying
power has not been augmented COM
modify prices, save in a few instances,
continue discouragingly low, old enter
prises are at a standsill and new en-
terprises are not being undertaken"
Tariff Position Hit.
The third attack was on the Presi-
dents unqualified approval of the
United States tariff system" Robinson
said: Perhaps no other single factor
has contributed more to the paralysis
of both foreign and domestic commerce
than the Smoot- -Hawley tariff act
which Senator Watson declared would
end the depression and restore pros
perity in 80 days"
"In addition" concluded Robinson
''to the three points specified as vul-
nerable places in the armor. OF the
miracle man., let note also be taken
of his boast concerning agricultural re-
lief. We should all recognize that In
spite of good faith efforts to improve
the condition Of agriculture little has
actually been done and the problem
persists with all its difficulties and de-
tails"
Among those who declined to COM
ment on the acceptance speech and
said Robinson would speak for them
were Senator John s. Cohen. Atlanta,
Ga, publisher and vice chairman of
the National Committee; Arthur F.
Mullen, Roosevelt's floor leader at Chi
cago, and Guy T. Helvering, State
chairman in Kansas.
Sees Little Comfort.
IF the farmers in my State, who are
selling their wheat at 26 cents, can get
any comfort from that speech, I'll be
surprised" said r. w. Mclean, secre-
tary Of the North Dakota State Com
mittee
w. W. Howes, South Dakota national
committeeman, said the speech would
win votes for the Democrats In his
State.
Among statements which continued
to flow from the Democratic national
campaign headquarters where James A.
Farley. national chairman, sat in con-
ference with State leaders from all Sec
tions Of the country, was the following:
While Mr.. Hoover carried Kentucky
IN 1928 by majority Of 10000, the
welt by majority of not less than
60,000"-B. P. wootteen, State chair
man Of Kentucky.