gw,;'j "TVji'.V " " ' ''" .t'"-"t' ' f.'jhP' ? ----- 'V pspiffi rfs -r- r' The Commoriei' 12 VOL. ,20, NO. 5 5rnpFT";w? IB ft kl f. J. .1 The Prohibition Issue (Prom tho Review of Reviews.) Whenever, thoroforo, the country la roady to renounce tho experiment, there is just one way to Iprocood, and that way is being pursued by tho tfooplo In various parts of the country who aro proposing to nominate Governor Edwards of Now Jorsoy as a Democratic candidate for the presidency on a wot platform. These people Icnow perfectly that prohibition has been adopted through a political victory of the drys, and that it can only bo done away with through a political victory of tho wots. Tho public should romombor, however, that the American movement to outlaw tho liquor business is of long standing, and tho dry are likely to bo hot ter organised for tho light than, tho wots. A now equilibrium will soon have been established, and many of tho forces formerly working for tho liquor traffic will now support, passively at least, tho changed situation to which thoy have become adjusted. So tho wots will have, to make their fight against now odds and with forlorn hopes. Many promlnont politicians In both parties havo boon noodlessly disturbed by the clamor ous activity of tho wets during the past few weeks. As a matter of fact, tho metropolitan newspapers have so emphasized details pertain ing to tho transition period tho dismantling of tho saloons, and tho illicit traffic in surplus stock as to convey a false impression to many minds. Democrats will do well to understand that tho prohibition forces supporting William J. Bryan are very much stronger as a political factor than tho liquor forces supporting Gov ernor Edwards. The south is almost solid for prohibition, and tho San Francisco Convention will not bo stampeded by Now Jersey and Ken tucky on tho liquor question. As for tho Re publicans, it would seem reasonable to say that tho great majority wish to give national prohi bition a deliberate trial in perfect good faith. Neither party will do well to stake its fate this year upon challenging the Eighteenth Amend ment and tho Volstead Act. v It Is to bo romombdred that many states havo given the franchise to womon. Moreover, the action of tho West Virginia legislature in rati fying tho suffrdgo amendment last month, after a hard fight under dramatic circumstances, made it probable that this nineteenth amondment would bo adopted In time for this year's election of Congress and presidential electors. Thirty throQ states had previously ratified, West Vir ginia making the thirty-fourth; 'and it was ex pected that at least two other states would act promptly, and thus secure tho success of tho amendment, That the votes of women could be very extensively marshalled in support and de fense of national prohibition is hardly to bo doubted. We will venture the guess that both great party conventions will declare in favor of .giving prohibition a fair trial during the coming fpur years. As for tho battle of percentages, it is evident that this must be fought out in tho courts. The amendment refers to "intoxicating liquors" "for beverage purposes." It would seem to to bo tho plain intent of the amend ment that Congress rathor than tho separate states should define intoxicating liquors, inas much as tho whole object of the amendment is to produce a condition of uniformity. It is for the federal courts, however, to decide in a test case what constitutes Intoxicating liquor. A prompt decision of this question will highly de sirable. In common understanding, the Eigh teenth Amendment was adpotod in general ac cord with tho prohibition laws of many, states which had fixed a very small percentage of al oohol in their definitions. Thus the Volstead Act was not regarded as out of lino with recognized standards. SOLID DEMOCRATIC STATE GOES AGAINST TREATY A number of administration organs havo been protending that a federal payroll convention's refusal in Missouri to concede Senator Reed the delegate seat to which he was apparently elect ed constitutes a popular indorsement of Mr. Wilson and his peculiar polices. If these organs aro at all interested in tho truth of the matter, they would do well to turn their attention to tbo thick-and-thin Democratic stato of Georgia There, in the solid south, the Wilson program was a direct issue in last woek's primaries, and A DISTURBER MIL HI IP J llllHI M I.J I MMIIHf YOU'RE " IiE3lS III Ml I I I I lllll II I II ... ' .ff-.'f -am Copyright, 1920, by Star Company. Repro duced from tho Chicago Herald and Examiner. T the completed returns disclose not a crumb of comfort for tho administrationists. Tho three candidates in the Georgia Demo cratic primaries and of course there are no real primaries in Georgia that are not Demo cratic wero (1) Attorney General Palmer, who Btood explicity for President Wilson and his peace treaty without amendment; (2) Senator Hoko Smith, a member of President Cleveland's cabinet, who stood as frankjiy opposed to Wil son's foreign policies and in. favor o'f ratification of the peace treaty "with American amend ments," and (3) Thomas E. Watson, whose sole platform was opposition to Mr. Wilson, opposi tion to the League of Nations, and REJECTION of the entire peace treaty. It turns out that the candidate who was most sweeping and unqualified in his .denunciation of Wilsonism led the list. Watson polled 51,974 votes; Palmer, 48,460; Senator Smith 45,568. Adding the totals of the two anti-administration candidates, we find that there were cast for Wil son and his policies 48,460 votes (Palmer); against Wilson and his policies 97,542 votes (Watson and Smith.) Pittsburgh Press. PRAISES BRYAN'S "TREATIES" A Washington special to the New York Times, under date of April 25, says: "Any dispute that can be talked about can be settled," declares James Brown Scott, Director of the Division of International Law of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, in his introduction to a volume just published by the endowment con taining to text of all the "peace treaties" negd tiated by William Jennings Bryan while ho was Secretary of State. The great merit of Mr. 'Bryan's plan, accord ing to Mr. Scott, is that it provides a perma nent commission to "investigate" any dispute which may arise between the parties to the treaty. While there might be objection on the part of some countries to "compulsory arbitra tion," there could be no objection, to nations agreeing in advance to submit to "compulsory investigation" of every dispute. The advantage of the treaties is that they provide the machinery for delay of extreme measures and for actual clash of arms, he says, for "it is difficult for a nation to say investigate -when it is angry." At such a time, therefore, the commission should be authorized to tender its services and thus re lieve both parties of embarrassment. FROM AN OIiD SOLDIER Burkett, Nebraska, April 24, 1920. Editor World Herald, Omaha, Nebraska. Dear Sir- For several days prior to last Tuesday's primary I folt vory much discouraged and downcast I fully expected to see ray friend BILL BRYAN electrocuted at the Dolls. -This morning I am feeling very happy indeed and am loving evorv body because Bill still lives and is doinir bus! ness at tho old stand. I am sorry f or Senator Hitchcock because B.ill did give him a con spanking from tho platform, not because ho hated -him (Bill never hated anybody) but bo cause ho loved him and wanted him to bo good" I want to suggest to tho Senator that he take his hat off to gill, acknowledge his leadership go ,with him to San Francisco, pat him on the back and do every thing he asks him to do Tako my word, for it, Senator, you will bo on the road to fame and honor. W. D. Roberts (Member of Soldiers and Sailors Home). ' BRYAN AND BOOZE Mr. Bryan is pre-eminently one of those use ful public speakers, who express in plain, con vincing language things which many people have felt were true, concerning developments in na tional affairs in the United States, but which have not been put clearly into words. While some citizens and officials are displaying most hazy notions about the future of the liquor traf fic in the republic, thfs hardy campaigner comes forward with a sentence of two so simple and so telling as, apparently, to sweep away for good any fog that may have clouded the vision of any body. Thus, the other evening in Washington, he said that when forty-fivo of the forty-eight states had ratified an amendment to the con stitution, no party with, any respect for itself or hope for the future could disregard the con science of the American people. Quite in line with this statement was his added remark that there was no question about a wet plank in the Democratic platform; the only question was whether there would be a dry plank. It may be worth while for various people to note the opinion of so seasoned a political authority, ex pressed at the same time, that there would be a dry plank, because the republican party would without "doubt adopt one, and therefore its opponent could not afford to do otherwise. Christian -Science Monitor. THE WET PROGRAM This ia from an interview with. Norman E. Mack, the New York member of the Democratic national committee: " 'Do you think with Mr. Bryan that there will " be a dry plank in both party platforms?' Mr. Mack was asked. 'It may be all right for the Republican party,' he replied, 'but it would be suicidal for the Democrats. I believe that put ting prohibition in the Federal Constitution was a mistake. I am against the saloon, but I be lieve any man should havo the opportunity of having light wines or beers, or even spirituous liquors, in his home, if he wishes, for medicinal or other purposes. I believe there should be a wet plank in the Democratic platform.' Asked just what sort of a plank he meant, Mr. Mack said Qne that would carry out the ideas he had .. expressed, and also a plank, calling for a referen dum on the repeal of the""" eighteenth amendment." ALIVE AND KICKING Every once in a whiie those who camp on his track Tell us "William J. Bryan can never come back; He is burled so deep That he never will peep, And the party will suffer no more .of his slack." With his service these men of his party pick flaws, And declare him a block to the partisan cause; "But today he Is doad," Which no sooner is said Than he bobs up as lively as ever ho was. That he scourges the party I haven't a doubt, And he often has put the Old-timers to rout; Then thoy turn and show fight, And they "kill him off" right, But what good to bo dead ,if you don't find it out? They have burled Bill Bryan in regular style For the last twenty years, every once in a while; But his grave, be it said, Always gives up its dead, And today may bo seen his benevolent smile. Soon the fight will be on and the campaign will Biz, . As tho fighters arise who' have always ariz. Whose groat voice will be heard, -May it now be inferred? Is, Bill Bryan immortal? I'll say that he is. -A. L. Bixby, in Nebraska State Journal. vay;-. - VMnJJwk yy , - yfJthte'MM.fljt'iiL' ltWh)t