Evening star., 1933-11-05
G. Or. REPEAL AID
HAILED BY FARLEY
Non.partisanship Inspiring,
He Says in Pennsylvania
~ Election Plea.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA, November 4.-Post-
master General James A. Farley carried
his campaign against prohibition into
Pennsylvania tonight with the assertion
that the most inspiring thing" of the
repeal movement is its non-partisan-
ship.
Prohibition has been taken out of
politics." he said. 1T should never have
been in politics. Hereafter candidate S
fitness for public Office and not his
willingness to take orders, regardless Of
his own conviction, will be the main
consideration of his candidacy"
Farley spoke at dinner given under
the auspices Of the Independent Demo-
cratic Committee Of Philadelphia.
Saying repeal Of prohibition is virtu-
ally assured next Tuesday, when six
States will vote on the issue and only
three are needed to complete the re-
ouired 3e. the Democratic national
chairman said that only the provision
for ratification by convention made this
possible.
1920 Situation Recalled.
"The situation would have been very
different if that provision had not been
promulgated" he said. If the old Gus
tom of leaving it to State Legislatures
had been followed We would have to
meet the great handicap of minority
being able to control elections in legis-
lative districts and the whip would have
been over the State Legislatures in 1888
as it was in 1920
The conventions gave the whole vot-
ing population a chance to have their
will about their own affairs. It has
no I ~ of
popular government in our whole his
tory.
Il wish to thank the Republicans
for forgetting factional politics in the
interest Of the public welfare. Nat
urally, am proud that this came about
under a Democratic administration. but
I am glad to admit that we cannot
claim it as Democratic victory. It's a
peoples victory. a triumph for lntelH-
gence. liberalism and independence"
Farley described prohibition as "a
constitutional error that. however we'll
intended, did more to our country than
any mistaken law in all our history"
He said it was enacted in political
brainstorm."
Impressed by Drys' Skill.
Let me take my hat of to the skill
and determination of the prohibition
leaders of that day that seems so long
ago" he said. We have had bosses
in New Workable. ruthless fellows,
who dominated the local politics-Phil-
adelphia is not unacquainted with the
type-but let me tell you. Croker or
Platt, or Penrose and Quay. were mild
in their methods and timid in their
practices compared with the eminent
gentlemen who we're bent on reforming
Nation.
L do not mean to say there were
not, in the prohibition drive, men and
women of the highest character. the
sincercst motives and the most ele-
waited principles. There were-plenty
of them-actuated by the most unself-
lsh purpose, devoutly believing that
they we're performing a service to and
for mankind. and that it was quite pos
sibie to make people good by statutory
enactment"
The Democratic leader said that. dur
ing the dry reign of terror many Of
Ure5 went down in defeat rather than
take a stand in which they did not
believe
-'Ncbodv is able to reckon he said.
during the recent times of stress and
trouble, when the Nation was begging
for leadership"