The Washington herald., 1915-01-18
Miss RichardsR sRapsHague
SAYS 1T WORKED FOR WAR
Tells of New Peace Party

ernment with an extension of the prin-
ciples of democracy, one of the most
needed reforms being a better and
stronger corrupt practices act" such
an act being designed to prevent or
punish all crooked methods in elections
Il have been greatly impressed" said
Miss Richards, with the thoroughness
of the English corrupt practices act
and wonder that our lawmakers do not
give US one equally effective.
England Has Better Law.
'In two respects especially is their act
superior to ours. First, they try all con-
tested election cases in the local courts,
and not, as we do, in the parliamentary
body itself. whereby we not only waste
the peoples time and money, but seldom
convict a member no natter how darkly
guilty he may be, apparently because our
lawmakers haven't the backbone to turn
out colleague. Secondly, they hold the
| candidate strictly accountable for all the
expenditures and campaign methods of
an agent.
AS the amount of money that may be
spent under legitimate expenses is strict
| ly limited, and as all treating. pulpit
advocacy and undue advantage (such as
! sending automobiles for incapacitated
voters) are fatty forbidden, the chances
for a fair election are. from the very ma
! ture of the law, much better than ours.
And as their local courts seem to be just
and high in tone, a conviction is not
unusual.
Il recall in the last general election of
I911 two interesting cases, both of which
were decided against the successful
candidate. One was a man of title, mar
ried to a rich American. who lost out on
the charge Of supplying automobiles for
many OF his Constituents, a luxury his op-
ponent could not afford
The other, a Mr.. Masterton, who had
long represented his district in the House
of Commons, was turned down on the
charge of giving presents of Goals to
many of his poor constituents Ohe
weather being cold presumably to in
fiuence their vote.
Had We a law, strictly enforced, hold
ing the candidate accountable for the
acts OF the agent this country might
have been Jared the scandal, likewise
the huge expense. of the two Lorimer
trials in the United States Senate.
Palmer Wants Inquiry.
I'm this connection it is interesting to
note that Mr. Palmer of Pennsylvania,
is said to contemplate asking for a Sen
ate inquiry relative to the recent cleo
tion of Senator Penrose, and the alleged
expenditure of 100000 for his election.
It's a safe guess that he won't get it,
Other subjects touched upon were the
Presidents Indianapolis Speech and the
press comments thereon, which" the
speaker remarked seemed to agree that
the President had struck the first es-
senitally partisan note OF his admins
tration"-the English reply to the Presi-
dents note OF protest on the detention
and search of American ships and the
altered tone of the English press toward
America following this incident.
Miss Richards also gave a clear and
interesting explanation of the attempted
solution, at the so-called London con-
vention Of 1903 of the vexed question of
what really does constitute the three
Classifications known as contra band of
war. conditional contraband and neutral
or noncontraband.
Since the very country which called
this famous convention OF 1875 Great
Britain) finally refused TO ratify the con-
vention defining Contraband of war eX-
planned the speaker. how can ordinary
mortals like you and me he expected to
understand or unravel its intriCaCies.
I'VE may deplore the coincidence that
just 100 years after the sigmia of the
Treaty of Ghent, which terminated the
War Of 1872, We should again be en-
gagged in a dispute with Great Britain
on the right of detention and search of
American ships on the high seas.
CriticIses American shippers.
at must, however. I'm all fairness,
be admitted that England has just
ground for complaint, upon establish
ing the fact that some American ship
pers have been smuggling contra band
of war, such as copper, oil, muskets,
etc, in cargoes invoiced as cotton and
pianos. How humiliating that our own
merchants should, by such dishonest
methods. threaten to still further COM
plicate an already difficult interna-
tional situation"
At this mornings talk at IL o'clock
Miss Richards will bring up to date
some of the more vital questions of
the hour, both at home and abroad,
with certain personal impressions of
the characters of the suffrage debate,
which she attended at the House of
Representatives last Tuesday.