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JULY, 1921'
The Commoner
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xaoYal of illiteracy, toy the increase of teachers'
salaries and instruction in citizenship for both
natire and foreign; born; increased appropriation
for vocational training in home economics; re
establishment of joint federal and state employ
ment service with womeh'g departments under
tho diroctton of technically qualified women. We
advocate full representation of women on all
commissions dealing with women's work or
women's interests and a reclassification o the
federal civil service free from discrimination on
tho ground of sexf increase of appropriations for
education in sex hygiene; federal legislation
which will insure that American women resident
in United States, but married to aliens, shall re
tain their American citizenship and that the
samo process of naturalization shall bo required
for women as for men.
DISABLED SOLDIERS
"The federal government'- should treat with
tho utmost consideration every disabled soldier,
sailor and marine. of the world war, whether his
disability be due- to wounds received in line of
action or to health impaired in service; and for
tho dependents of the brave men who died in line
of duty, the governments tederest concern and
richest bounty should be their requital.. Tho
lino patriotism exhibited, Jho heoric conduct dis
played by American soldiers, sailors and marines,
at home and abroad, constitute a sacred herit
age of posterity-, the worth of which can never
bo recompensed, from the treasuryand the glory
of which must not be diminished y any such
expedients. ...
"The Democratic- administration wisely es
tablished a War rislc insurance bureau giving
four and a half millions of enlisted men insur
ance at unprecedently lo'tf rates aad through the
medium of which 'compensation Of men and
women injured in- 'service & readily adjusted,
and hospital faclltisfdr: those J Whose health
is impaired are -ab'uh'dahtly afforded - -
"The federal, board for vocational education
ohould bo made a'pait,gf the war. risk insurance
bureau, in .ordejihaT.fche. tas&.jinay. bo. treated
fisa.whp.le, anVt;thiicery-b!protecti.on and"
assistance must ' Receive leyery aid of law and ap
propriation necessary to full and effective opera
tion. .'"... ;.-, ' ,-
' . " '
"We believer that no higher or more valued
privilege can. be afforded, to an American citizen
than to become a free lhplder in the BoiL of the
United States and' to. that end w,e pledge our
party to the enactment of soldier .settlements
and homo aid legislation which will afford to
the men who fought for America the opportunity
'to become land and home owners under condi
tions affording genuine . government assistance
unincumbered by needless difficulties of red tape
or advance financial investment,
THE RAILROADS
"The railroads were subjected to federal con
trol as a war measure without other idea tnan
tho swift transport of troops, munitions and sup
Plies. WhenhUman life and national hopes
were at stake profits could not be considered
and were not, Federal operation, however, was
marked by an- intelligence and efficiency that
minimized loss and resulted in many and marked
reforms. The equipment taken over was not
only grossly inadequate but shamefully outworn.
Unification practices overcame these initial
handicaps and .provided additions, betterments
and improvements. Economies enabled opera
tion without the fate raises that private control
would have found necessary and labor was
treated with an exact justice that secured the
enthusiastic' co-operation that victory demanded.
Tbo fundamental purpose of federal control was
achieved fully and splendidly, and at far less cost
to the taxpayer than would have been the case
under private operation. InveBtmprftB in rail
road properties were not only saved by govern
ment operation, but goyef nment management re
turned these properties vastly jmprpv ed in every
Physical and executive detail; ' A great task was
greatly discharged. "I '..''..
"The president's recommendation of return to
private ownership gave the Republican major
Jty a full year 4n which to enact the necessary
legislation. The liousa took six months to form
ulate its ideas,- and another six months was con
sumed by the Republican, senate in, equally vague
ufbato, As a consequence, the Esch-Cummins
bJU went to the president in the closing hours
of congress and' he was.- forced to a- choice be
een th0 chaos of a' veto and acquiescence m
the measure Riihmu.i .
been his objections to it SIW my havo
theTaw'nnUrc1!," fa,lr aml comIleto test of
SyS?
vat wlrr tr5?8 P0rtatl0n undo prl-
th?fSiSfofPhil?ttt government subsidy P at
uie expense o the taxpayers of the country.
IMPROVED HIGHWAYS
nniv? 0 radS aro of vital Importance, not
on y to commerce and Industry, but also to aEri-
191 rinE? Tl "fr ThG fcderal act of
Lfi'i?llacd ?y a Demcratlc congress, repre
sented the first systematic effort of tho govern
ment to insure the building of an adequate system-
of roads in this country. The act, as amondod
has resulted in placing tho movement for Im
proved highways on a progressive and substan
tial basis in every state in tho union and in
bringing under actual construction more than
13,000 miles of roads suited to tho traffic needs
of tho communities in which they aro located.
"We favor a continuance of tho present fed
eral aid plan under existing federal and state
agencies, amended so as to include as one of the
elements in determining tho ratio in which the
several states shall bo entitled to share in tho
fund, tho area of any public lands theroin.
"Inasmuch as tho postal service has been ex
tended by the Democratic party to the door of
practically every producer and every consumer
in the country (rural froe delvory alone having
been provided for 6,000,000 additional patrons
within the past eight years without material
added cost), we declaro that this instrumental
ity can, and will, be used to the maximum of its
capacity to improve the efficiency of distribution
and reduce the cost of living to consumers while
increasing the profitable operations of producers.
"We strongly favor the increased use of the
motor vehicle in the transportation of mails and
urge the removal 'of restriction imposed by tho
Republican congress on the use of the motor de
vices In mail transportation in rural territories.
.'., MERCHANT MARINE
.j'7'W desire 'to congratulate the American peo
ple'upon the re-birth of our merchant marine
which once more maintains its former place in
the world. If was under a Democratic admin
istration that this was accomplished after
seventy years of indifference and neglect, 13,
000,000 tons having been constructed since the
act was passed in 1916. We pledge tho policy
of our party to the continued growth of our
merchant marine under proper legislation so that
American products will be carried to all ports of
the world by vessels built in American yards,
flying the American flag.
" TORT FACILITIES
"The urgent demands of the war for adequate
transportation of war material as well as for
domestic need revealed the fact that our port
facilities and rate adjustment were such as to
seriously affect the whole country in times of
peace as well as war,
"We pledge our party to stand for equality
of rates, both import and export, for the ports
of the country, to the end that there .may .be ade
quate and fair facilities and rates for the mob
iHzation of the products of the country offered
for shipment.
INLAND WATER WAYS
"We call attention to the failure of the Re
publican national convention to recognize in any
publican nai u opment 0f barge transporta-
S th0enrour inland waterways, which develop
tl iuthA result of the constructive policies of
Democratic Administration. And we pledge
the Dem0C""X further development of ade
Urft?ansporLtion facilities on our rivers and
qua.L r ! improvement of our inland water
to the further toprov th importance of con
ways and we wjg with the sea by way of
nfectSf ESS r hto Mind its tributaries as well
the MississW river en-
as by the St. jd policy with all nations,
terprising foreign trade poi y utmzatIon
and in this Jf"0 Pacific ports, and an
elubu of shipping facilities be
tween the various Ports Increu8ingly
T,t7paroblem m the continued development and
prosperity $$ for distribution by rail
"Our Presfthi promotion of transport-,
are inadequate and the Prom . . .
Hy' and compre"
'V!
hensivo policy for tho development and atllf
won of our harbors and interior waterway.
FLOOD CONTROL
"Wo commend tho Democratic congrew for
tho redemption of tho pledge contained 'in or
last platform by the passage of tho flood con
trol act of March 1, 1017, and point to tho suc
cessful control of the floods of he Mississippi
rlvor and tho Sacramento river, California, tin
dor the policy of that law, for its complete justi
fication. Wo favor tho extension of this policy
to Other floor! finnfrnl nrnlilnmB u)tmm... !,.
federal intarnaf Invnlvnt inotlflno t,n .....n !h
turo required. .
RECLAMATION OF ARID LANDS
"By wise legislation and progressive admlnl
tration, wo havo transformed tho government
reclamation projects representing an Investment
of $100,000,000 from a condition of impending
failure and loss of confidence in tho ability of
congress to carry through siich largo onlerpris,
to a condition of demonstrated success, whereby
formerly arid and wholly unproductive Ifthda
now sustained 40,000 proporous families and
havo an annual crop production Of over $70,000,
000, npt Including tho crops grown on a million
acres outside tho projects supplied with storaga
water from governmental works
"Wo favor ample appropriations for the con
tinuation and extension of this great work of
homo building and Internet Improvement 'aldnir
tho samo general lines, to tho end that all-practical
projects shall bo built, and waU r now run
ning to wasto shall bo made to provide home
and add to thofood supply, power resources, and
taxable property, with tho government uUIrriaU
ly reimbursed for tho entire outlay; i " ,
THE TRADE COMMISSION
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"The Democratic party hoarttly endorse. (h
creation and work of tho fedoral trade co.mraf
sion In establishing a fair field for competJjUv
'business, free from restraints flf ,tr$do., and
monopoly and recommends amplification ot'th
statutes governing its activities so a to graft
it authority to provont the unfair usepfpaiii
,, in restraint of trado. . . - ti.,-j m
LIVESTOCK MARKKTtf ' ' ,,
"For the purpose of insuring just and fair
treatmont in tho great interstate livestock mar
ket, and thus instilling confidence in growers
through which production wilt bo stimulated -ind
tho price of moats to consumers bcfuUimatolJhre
duccd, weiavor tho enactment of legislation for
tho supervision of such markets byjthe national
government. s v' ' "
. .. ' MBWCO ,, .,.,
"The United States is the neighbor and,,frjnd
of tho nations of tho three Americas. In a very
special sense, our international relations in lhf
hemisphere should bo characterized by good will
and free from any possible pusplclon A. Mv our
national purpose. . ; .-.
"The administration, remembering .vlway
that Mexico is an independent nation andtkafc
permanent stability in her government, aaj. her
institutions could come only from the cpnf, of
her own people to a government of their
own makfng, has been unwilling either
to profit by the misfortunes of th peo
ple of Mexico or to enfeoble their fu
ture hy Imposing from the outside a ..rule
upon their temporarily, distracted coimclla.
As a consequence, order la gradually re
appearing in Mexico; at no time in many ycara
have American lives and Interests been so saf as
they now aro; peace reigns along the border and
industry is resuming. ; .
"When the new government of Mexico shall
have given ample proof of its ability permanent
ly to maintain law and order, signified it? will
ingness to meet Its International obligations and
written upon its statute hooka just Jawa under
which foreign investor shall have rights a well
ns duties, that government should receive our
recognition and sympathetic assistance. vtii
these proper expectation have been met, Mexico
must realize tho propriety of a policy that as
serts the. right of the United States to demand
full protection for its citizens.
.PBTROLEUM
"The Democratic party recognizes the import
ance Of the acquisition by Americans of addition
al sources of supply of petroleum and oUmi?
minerals and declare that such acquisition both
at homo and abroad, should be fostered and en-
couraged. Vfis urge stjch action, legislative and
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