Show Fight Looms as Dry Democrats Oppose Raskob Resistance to Proposal for Referendum Tinctured With rith Caution aution However as Time for Convention Nears By RAYMOND CLAPPER United Press Staff Starr Correspondent V WASHINGTON ASHINGTON Jan 7 Dry 7 Dry Democrats are showing enough resistance to Democratic National Chairman Raskob's Raskob's Ras- Ras kobs kob's proposal for a referendum on prohibition to insure a alively alively lively fight at the thc national convention The significant thing however is that this resistance Is tinctured is-tinctured with caution Many drys feel an attempt is being being be be- ing made to advance prohibition modification mod program under the guise suise of ofa ofa ofa a referendum They have strong stron suspicions sus sus- of an any proposal emanating from rom Raskob who is a director in the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment But some of them find it a little difficult to oppose directly a proposition to permit the people to vote on this issue which has been surging through the political debate of the nation for more than a decade R ob Is cocky and confident and plainly is not to b be scared out b by bythe Ithe the thc threat of a fight t Reports are that some Democrats Democrat I have refused to attend the Jackson day dinner here Friday night on th the ground that only opponents of ot prohibition prohibition are arc to be heard The three living presidential ex-presidential candidates ar arthe are arc the only speakers speakers Alfred Alfred E. E Smith John W. W Davis and James M. M L CoxIn Cox In addition to the thc toastmaster Claude Bowers This is roughly the situation as the Democratic national committee members memo mem bers assemble for their meeting Sat Sat- Raskob has announced he will wll not seek a showdown at this meet meet- in ing But he will lay the proposal before before be be- fore it l for discussion and expects i ito it to be referred to the national convention conven comen tion for lor decision Democratic leaders are arc preparing to go co to Baltimore tonight to witness witness wit wit- ness the formal launching of the pres boom for Governor Albert Alber C. C Ritchie of Maryland the first major major ma jor presidential candidate to venture into open water Ritchie is for repeal repeal re re- re peal of the amendment and has always been vigorously opposed b bj by bythe the drys drs ROOSEVELT KEY FIGURE Regardless of his own chances a athe at atthe atthe the nomination he will become a key figure should the convention balloting ballot ing inc reach a deadlock In that case he tic would have considerable power by throwing his following to someone else General belief belie is that it would not go o to Governor Roosevelt of New York Roosevelt though gener generally l regard regard- cd ed as a leading potential candidate has withheld formal announcement He maintains a technical ence Yet Democrats here noted that in his lis message to the New York legislature legislature legis legis- lature Mature yesterday Roosevelt declared New Yorks York's fiscal difficulties were due in part to a lack of leadership at Washington to a federal lack of plan and action He said the people are nrc calling for leadership No poll polio I ician doubts that Roosevelt regards himself as the thc man to supply it 5 |