Evening star., 1932-06-18
c. O.P. WET PLANK
FACES NEW THREAT
Reputation Move in East,
Led by DR.. Butler, Is Re-
ported Planned.
BY the Associated Press.

NEW YORK, June 18.-The New
York World-Telegram today stated that
Nicholas Murray Butler, who led the
fight for repeal plank in the Repub-
lican national platform. will lead a
movement to bring about repudiation
| by New England and Middle Atlantic
Republican State conventions of the
plank finally adopted in Chicago.
If he succeeds, DR.. Butler said. Presi-
dent Hoover may have "a sporting
chance of reelection. If he fails, he
predicted the Republican party will "go
over the dam"
Adoption of the present plank bv
the Republican National Convention in
Chicago was described by DR.. Butler
as the most shocking exhibition Of
patronage control of a convention since
1872, when Ulysses S. Grant won his
second nomination"
Il was told he said, that six cabi-
net members were at the convention,
that 81 of the 81 delegates from New
York and upward Of 400 of the conven-
tlonS membership were officeholderS.
Cites Missouri Incident.
This is repUgnant to Republican
traditions In 1904 Roosevelt declared
against the election of Federal Office
holders as delegates. And in 1924, in
February, MIR. Coolidge gave a stern
statement to the press deploring the
sending Of postmasters and other Office
holders to the convention which nomi-
mated him.
But this year the postmasters were
actually whipped up by the Post Office
Department, as we saw BY that scandal
lOuS incident in Missouri"
He referred. he said to an appeal
made in behalf of Hoover's candidacy
by an Assistant Postmaster General at
a convention Of poStmasters in Mis-
souri,.
DR.. Butler said he had been told the
plank regarding prohibition as adopted
by the convention was written by Ogden
L. Mills, Secretary of the Treasury;
Ray Benjamin of San Francisco E. A.
Van Valkenburg of Philadelphia and
Charles F. Scott of lola. Kans
But every word was passed BY the
White House he added
DR.. Butler said his plank embodied
in the Bingham minority report. would
have won had the convention been let
alone"
We had 610 assured votes on Mon
Gay night he said. Estimates that
we could muster 700 votes we're made
In any event, We had majority. And
then the administration leaders. taking
orders from Washington. got busy
They knew we had them beaten:
that the convention. if uninf1uenced by
the White House. would go for repeal.
They made inroads in Pennsylvania
and Ohio and some in Massachusetts.
They were successful in Southern dele
cations, where the delegates are readily
reached by patronage considerations.
Mississippi's delegation held out. but
elsewhere they changed votes materially.
In effect, they said: We expect to be
in power, dispensing patronage fo- an
ether four years. What Jobs can these
repeal fellows hand you?' 1t worked"
Praises AL Smith.
Discussing Democratic leaders. DR..
Butler described former Gov. Alfred E.
Smith as the best public servant this
country has produced since Theodore
Roosevelt-broad gauged, honest, and
highly capable"
owen D. Young" he said, lis a
natural born statesman, with broad,
calm. unprejudiced vision.
Newton D. Baker has had wide
political experience in Ohio and Wash
ington. He has q very fine mind and
4 very great gift of speech and appeal.
Gov. Albert c. Ritchie of Maryland
is a cultivated gentleman and a
scholar Melvin A. Traylor. Chicago
banker. has fine position in Chicago
and in his native State. Kentucky. and
has an international point Of view.
Senator Cordell Hull of Tennessee is
an able leader. whose recent speeches
on the tariff recalled the great debat-
ing DAYS in the Senate"
Remarking that there appeared to
be a wealth of material in the Demo-
cratic party and a dearth in his own,
DR.. Butler said he had discussed that
point with Elihu Root a couple of years
ago He quoted Root as having said:
What has happened to our party?
Twenty-Five years ago We had all the
talent. Now the Democrats have it all"
The plank adopted in Chicago" Dr..
Butler said, was sired by Muddlehead
out of Cowardice.
Declares Muddle Deepened.
Instead of having got out Of the
prohibition muddle. We are deeper i'll
than ever. The only redeeming fea-
ture is that there is no possible chance
of it being adopted by the people
With the exception of the plank the
Secretary of Agriculture took to the
Missouri State convention. this is the
worst proposal yet made by anybody.
1t starts out with a perfectly banal
pledge for law enforcement
That means, if it means anything,
an Endorsement of 'lawless law enforce
ment'
In section g. which is the nub the
plank denies the people the one thing
they wanted most-a chance to vote on
repeal.
Fer the first time in history. and in
violation Of every Republican tradition.
the party is put in the position of ac-
cepting Federal prohibition. We didn't
do that in 1928.
But the plank does not stop there.
1t goes a step further and passes over
the concurrent jurisdiction clause which
the Supreme Court has largely nullified.
1t would send the Federal Government
into States. whether prohibition or anti
prohibition. to protect the citizens, pre-
sumably against themselves.
That is new grant of Federal power
in rd i,,defrita hot