Evening star., 1918-07-24
MAY have public
ownership ISSUE
Republicans Looking For
ward to 1870 Campaign
Favor Return to Old Order.

+ SAEttVSAtb &SSASsSSSStsD W bs1S >vs~s~"
cratic and republican parties In two
Of the politically crucial states Of the
uaioa, New York and Indiana, fore
espt . possible line OF demarcstion in
the principles Of the two great politi-
cal parties BY the time OF the ma
tional elections In 1920. Government
ownership Of public utilities may be
the issue.
While the democrats have not yet
committed themselves to government
ownership, the republicans already are
going on record ~ being against it
Tho republicans are looking ahead
and stalking out their battle lines Of
the future. For the hour. to meet the
exisencies Of war. both parties eop-
seat to SeysrBmsnt sontrol-as differ
sntieted from outright ownership
nouncins that they viii resist owner
II 10 considered significant by the
politicians that the republicans should
srnment Ownership while the demo-
eFats ignore 1t In the platforms of the
conventions Of the two great states,
New York and Indians They con-
clude that the democrats had motive
in passing up" the subject at this
time. desiring to walt until the pres
ent experiment In government con-
troll 10 given q fair trial and to see
whether 1t takes" with the people.
Neither Has Copyright.
: II It should turn out . success 1t is
thought the democrats would consider
In 1920 the advisabiIity Of adopting
q government ownership plank. II 1t
should prove = failure they could rel
egate 1t to the scrap heap along with
% Is pointed s out aaR that the % aepupiicans IS
are equally responsible with the DEM
eerats fer recourse to government
control in time Of war, and neither
party has a copyright on It
Whethsr government control proves
committed in advance against ulti-
mate government ownership. and 1t
IL taken for granted they will harp
upon that string for the next two
years. II the democrats should later
md It advisable to oppese govern
msnt ewnsFship. the Republicans will,
It is said. claim that they saw 1t
ATst."
Represents National Views
YerH rsppbiisas unectsi state ssS eons
vention, which last week framed the
platform upon which candidates for
cnce will SO before the nominating
primaries was invested with unusual
importance, the politicians say, by
reason Of psrspsti,en - The PRO
a. Theodore Roosevelt Wiiiiata n.
Taft, Eiihu Root and the chairman
Of the national committee, Will H.
Hays. It 10 to be assumed. 1t 10 con-
tended. thst the platform adopted
represented the views Of the repub-
licaa party in its nationwide. organ
The clause relatIag to public ewn-
"Ws insist thst in the necessary
wartime extension Of government
supervision and control over private
undert.king ne steps b taken n the
ownership or Of limiting Individual
opportunity and responsibility in time
OF peace. The preservation OF tndt-
vidual rights and full opportunity for
all men and women to make ths most
Of themselye, T. .S,,s.n fsna.msstsi doS ;i;
always defend"
rho Indians republican state con-
yentton, which undertook to sound a
natiepal kaynote. the platform hav-
Ing been prepared In washington un-
der the supervision Ct national lead
sFs; had this to say about public own
we will bring the governmen,
back to the limitations and principles
Of the Constitution in time Of peaee
and establish policies which again will
bind up the wounds OF war, renew oul
prosperity, administer the affairs Of
~~~fA "a
omy, enlarge our strength at hons
and abroad, prevent the further spread
Oh the socialistic tendency Of the times
toward federal ownership OF all the
creation and distribution Of wealth Al
a panaeea for all the real and faneied
ills Of society.
Indiana Democratic viewA
The Indians democratic stats CON,
vention took no such positive ground
It squinted at the subject with thu
following statsments
Railway transportation must b
controlled In such . way a. to assure
complete coordination, adequate de-
velopmsnt and the equal service o,
the railways In svsry Asid Of economic
activity"
In another section II said:
"ouP purposes look also beyond thu
period OF Tao Wet. we recognize eh4'
the war must. Of necessity. Be follow
ed by q period Of feconstruction, tt
whose problems it will be necessary
that the best most sympathetic anl
most liberal minds Of the ceuntr,
should be devoted. = ."
The New York democratic stat
platform adopted yesterday made nj
reference to government ownership ol
control.
ARMY TO TAKE LARGE