Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-06-08

the situation now Is
outlined. neither prohlhitionlsfs nor
anti-prohibltlonists propose to allow
any grass to grow under their feet.
The motto of each side seems to be-:
nov or never"
Observers here believe that Post
master General Jim" Farley, continu-
Ing the political astuteness of the last
campaign, rather caught the prohibi-
tionists taking nap. | mean that the
prohIbtionists were plodding along
throughout the country with their ef-
forts but were putting forth no real
campaign attacks. Mr.. Farley broke
out suddenly with brand new Idea
and laid the pressure Of the Roosevelt
administration on the movement to
repeal the Eighteenth amendment.
OF course, when Mr.. Farley told the
country that by ratification Of the re-
peal proposal 1t would automatically
end the extra taxes TINT had to be
levied under the public works bill, ne
was favored by condition not avail
able to the prohibition supporters. lie
was, therefore, In position to offer
some inducement that had not been
| presented before, while thus far the
prohibition arguments have lacked any
new elements of showmanship.
/ advert to showmanship because 1t
will be remembered that 1t WAS type
| Of showmanship that started the big
repeal drive and worked the country
up to fever heat on the prohibition re-
| peal question through the last campaign
and In the newly elected congress. Mr.
Farley merely restored life to the
movement. 1t Is generally conceded
| that defections have occurred In the
! ranks of the anti-prohibitionlsts In
/ rather large numbers. 1t is obvious.
/ too, that the ardor was cooling In q
| good many sections of the country.
/ Mr.. Farley sensed those things and
he capitalized the situation that was
presented to him In an almost cut and
dried form.
Thus, the postmaster general has
again demonstrated his usefulness as
the right hand of the President. Not
only has he added to, or rather re-
vIyea. the momentum Of the reneaf
move but he has employed the eireum-
stance to soiidify the Democratic party
organization. He addressed letters TO
thousands Of party workers In the
states where there may be some
doubt as to the success of the repeal
proposal. Those workers naturally
are responding. 1t Is obvious that
some Of them will balk at the Idea but
the information we get here Is that
the bulk of the party workers will dc
just the thing Mr.. Farley has asked
and will get busy for repeal as party
movement. The full effect of the post
master generals quick move can be
measured from the political standpoint
1t must not be overlooked that the
drys are busy, too. For example, two
great conventions re
Drys Are Gently were held II
A.. III. Washington. Ont
was the Southern
Baptist convention and the other wa!
the Northern Baptist convention. One
group engaged directly In the prohi
bition fight and adopted resolution
by which the delegates agreed t
avoid patronizing businesses sellins
beer. The vote to adopt such polio,
was lopsided, but one Of the minister
told me he had some difficulty In find
Ing a place to eat In the Capital Cit.
where no beer was sold. Nevertheless
the impracticability OF such polio.
does not overshadow the fighting spiri
that Is displayed.
Another illustration. scattered
throughout the auditorium where tn
sessions were held were signs and post
ers which read mo quarter to tn
liquor interest; thousands Of quar-
tiers to fight Them" or words to tina
effect.
These facts are cited because the
constitute evidence of what Is goin
on throughout the country. The ir
stances were with reference to onl
one church, but there Is much the sam
attitude on the part Of all the churches
Their leaders and those who, thong
not participating directly in the churc
movement, are sincerely dry, are nc
going to be licked while they twiddl
their thumbs. I recall having write
In one of these letters several month
ago that the question of repeal wa
probably going to be decided aroun
the .firesides Of hundreds Of thousand
Of homes In the land. The circun
stances now developed convince m
more strongly than ever that sue
will be the case.
The vets are claiming bHeyantl
that they will win repeal. Dry Leaf
ers here are just as certain that the
can stop repeal. On the side OF tn
vets is the gigantic vote they deve
oped at the Chicago convention OF tn
Democratic party and the compromis
position forced on the Republicans
convention In the same city. The RI
publicans did compromise, because til