Milford chronicle., 1933-02-24
HASTINGS WANTS
ELECTORATE TO
PASSION DRYLAW
[Confiinnrd jrom Frn Pagel

lLOHHHHfd from fUT fdgfJ
hurdles to jump where there was 40
necessity for jumping more than
one.
Il called their attention to the
fact that il would be necessary that
we must get action of the State
Legislature setting up the machin-
cry for the convention In order to
get that done it would be necessary
to pass an act of the Legislature
and get II approved by the Governor,
just like any other act of the Legis-
lature. On the other hand, IL we
submitted hte resolution directly to
the Legislature itself. then we need
not consult the Governor at all. In
that event all we would have to do
would be to get a majority of the
two Houses"
Another statement by Senator
Hastings in his Senate remarks left
The impression that the Senator is In
doubt as to what his position will be
when Delaware considers the prob
lem of State convention TO consid-
er ratification. He said:
IL do not feel that vote upon
this subject controls my vote in my
State when l come 10 vote for del
egates TO the convention or to the
Legislature. When the people of my
State have shown, as In my judg-
ment they did show In the last cleo
tion, that they want an opportunity
to pass upon this question, then II Is
my duty, regardless of what | think
about 10 to give them that oppOrtun-
ity. r
81 go further than that. | do not
propose to be bound here by the Re-
publican platform with respect to
the matter. l propose to submit to
my people as nearly the kind of res
olutiOn as | think ought to be sub
mitted to them. But If car not get
that kind of a resolution adopted by
the Congress. then / propose to vote
for whatever is submitted in. order
that they may pass upon the ques-
tion.
at the same time, when 1t comes
to casting my individual vote in my
State, IL depends very much ON the
kind of resolution that is submitted
as to whether I shall favor II .iOi
whether shall not favor it,"
Senator Hastings, still speaking
in favor OF submission TO the Leg
lslature, said the advocates OF, the
convention method OF ratification do
not intend to follow the plan of Sc
lecting delegates to the conventions
by districts as in the case of choice
of members of the Legislature.
What they propose" he declared,
"and what they hope to carry
through is that the populace In the
cities, most OF which are wet. shall
be arrayed against those In the
country, most of whom are dry. aud
in order that they may get ma
jority of the vets on one side they
propose that the subject shall be
submitted in that form. Their pur-
pose can not be accomplished In
this way unless they control the
legislature in the first instance, SO
that II they BE- able to control the
Legislature in the first place. why
should they want any convention at
all? Why should not they put their
resolution through the Legislature
in the first instance?
"In my own State. for instance.
here Is what happens. The city OF
Wilmington has half the population
of the State. The city has one
seventh of the representatives in the
Legislature. If the Legislature of my
State begins TO set up the machin-
cry for 4 convention under this res
Dlution. what will they do? If they
want to make certain that the State
goes wet they will submit IL to the
popular vote. If they want the State
10 remain dry, the chances are they
will not submit it at all. If they do
submit IT,, they will submit it under
4 plan so that the delegates will be
selected from the individual legisla-
i've districts as now"