| Show Wet Dry Strategy Changes As Rum Drive N Nears ears Climax rl Fight Now Centers on Substitute Plans for Regulation of Liquor Traffic Editors Editor's note This is the last of four stories on the history of prohibition made especially timely by the recent action of ot the Republican and Democratic national conventions By BRUCE CATTON NEA Service Writer Whether or not the end of prohibition as a national policy pol pal icy is actually any nearer today than It w was s in 1920 is some- some thin s that only time time and and possibly the coming election election- can can n tell One thing though is obvious the tactics of both the wets and the drys have changed profoundly in the last few years As has been seen prohibition went into effect with hardly a dissenting vote aside from the plaintive cries of the brewers' brewers and distillers' distillers No NC prominent political leader lifted up his voice to denounce It no party even suggested that the question question ques ques- tion of ot repeal or modification was worth debating In 1924 there was vas no wet dry Issue to m n the presidential campaign The way in which the Smith Smith-McAdoo cohorts cohorts co co- co horts c cut t one another's anthers at Madison Madison Mad ison Square Garden saw to that thal WETS MAP PROGRAM In 1928 both parties had dry platforms platforms plat plat- forms but one candidate was generally generally generally gener gener- ally recognized as a dry while the theother theother theother other was was generally re recognized as a wet wel Since then them things have happened fast fasl Witness the 1932 Democratic and Republican platforms No longer are the wets simply demanding demanding de de- manding a change They are getting down to cases now and offering specific specific specific suggestions as to the way in which a change should bo boo brought about aboul They are actually basing their policy On on the assumption that something some some- thin thing is as going to be done about prohibition pro and that the chief problem now is that of how and what whal At the same time in some sections of the dry camp a change in strategy has become becom apparent Until very recently no friend of prohibition would consent to any proposal proposal pro pro- proposal that the amendment be submit It ted td to any kind of vote VOTE VOrE STAND CHANGES Lately however many dry leaders though by no means all aU of them I h have vc frankly stated their desire to have a anew new vote on the subject Some of them as devoutly in favor of prohibition prohibition pro pro- prohibition as ever have urged that a national referendum on the question be held so that It itcan can be settled one I way or another for good Confident that a majority of the citizens still are sold sold on prohibition they are prepared to welcome a test vote It is about the ways way and means of holding such a vote that much of the discussion today today- tod y is centering I The most obvious way perhaps isto Is Isto isto to have the wets try to get prohibition out of the constitution in the same way that the drys drs got it In In-by In by constitutional amendment REPEAL SOUGHT One school urges urges that congress sim sins sins- simply ply pa pass ass and submit to the tho states for tor ratification a repeal of the eighteenth amendment This demand is contained In the Democratic plat plat- form Advocates of this measure point out that even if th the amendment were repealed repealed repealed re re- re- re pealed the old pr pre 1918 1918 state prohibition prohibition tion laws would remain in force In Li Instates Instates states which never went dry the old license laws would remain States Slates that had voted dry before the adoption of the eighteenth amendment would still be dry Furthermore the Webb Webb- Kenyon law would remain to prohibit shipment of liquor from dry states Into wet ones Another school Insists that the eighteenth amendment cannot be r re re- pealed without a D. carefully thought out substitute measure to take its place This group suggests that thata a new amendment to the constitution be submitted sub sub- one that would not only repeal repeal repeal re re- re- re peal the elgh eighteenth amendment but that would also set up some new law Jaw to control the liquor liquor traffic This Is the plan suggested in fn the Republican platform DIFFERENT FACTIONS T This Is g group of course has a dozen different factions Some Some fa favor vor a very simple federal law that would provide for state option Others nave elaborate dab orate rate schemes for federal ownership or T control of the liquor traffic through government stores dispensaries and whatnot not Some have drawn up copies of Ontario's famous liquor law others would have the federal law more like Jike The chief problem Is the question how ow is the job to be done The amendment was voted In an the first place in the traditional method Passing both houses of congress it went to the states for ratification by the legislatures When the legislatures legisla legisla- tures of 36 states bad had ratified it it became law ROOM FOR FOn DISPUTE Some wets well and some drys also would have any repeal proposition submitted in precisely the same way But there is room for a lot of argument argument argument ment here Some wets are arc sharply opposed to this plan remembering the influence which the league once wielded in every state capitol capital I. I some drys are arc Just as sharply opposed to o it it n. feeling that legislatures would not be as responsive to league eague pressure as they used to be bel belIn In addition some come members of both camps feel teel that this this' method would not provide for a clear elear expression of opinion pinion by the electorate In many if f not most states they assert the amendment would come before a leg which had been elected before be- be before fore ore the measure got through congress con eon gress ress a legislature whose members had not campaigned as wets or orr drys and who In many cases would have no definite idea of the wishes of their constituents on the matter PLEBISCITE SOUGHT To avoid this difficulty a n number of leaders leader on both sides but especially among the wets have proposed that tha passing the repealing ac acor act actor actor or the substitute amendment specify that state conventions be called to tc ratify it Both major party platforms this year suggest such a measure There are ore still others who feel that tha before any change in the law li is brought up for definite consideration there should be some sort of plebiscite which congress congress' and ond the legislatures legislature could look to for guidance Few of these people have submitted concrete plans Mostly they argue that there should be either a national referendum or a series of state referendums referendums referendums refer refer- in which the people would b basked be asked asted to declare whether they ta fa f the prohibition a continuation of tion law or a drastic revision CONVENTION PROPOSED After such a vote had been held It is proposed congress would have enough light on the subject to enable it to pass passa a law accurately expressing the wishes of the voters and if the law that congress passed called for further consideration by the different states the legislators also would know just how their constituents felt about It all Another way to settle the matter would be to call a national constitutional constitutional convention This idea however however however how how- ever has had few backers for such a convention would be empowered not only to consider a change in the eighteenth eighteenth eighteenth eight eight- am amendment nt but also to make any other change In the constitution It saw fit and the prohibition issue might well get lost In the shuffle long before the proceedings ended STILL ANOTHER SCHOOL Finally there is a group croup of wets which frankly leaves alteration of the amendment itself out of consideration consideration consider consider- atlon and urges con congress reSs simply to repeal repeal re reo re- re peal the act and leave the nation with a constitutional provision for prohibition but no means of enforcing enforcing en en- forcing It II The idea of course is that the law would straightaway become a dead letter and that each state could have as much or as little prohibition prohibition pro pro- prohibition as It chose by passing its own laws on the matter |
