The daily Alaska citizen., 1919-12-12

ton of a department of labor in the cabinet of the President, and the placing of a firm foundation under the industry and financ- ing of the country by the creation of the .as an extraordinary triumps of progressive
 legislation.
 Governor Sproulc didn't mention any of these things in his keynote campaign speech any more than they will be men toned by other campaign orators in the re publican campaign later on. He picked three main policies for criticism. The Mex ican policy, the 'rape of the railroads" and administrative extravaganza and ineffi- .cicncy To say that everyone is satisfied with the Mexican policy would be to mis- represent the situation. That policy is, however, an inheritance along with the Mexican problem, handed down by the republican administration when Mr. Will son entered on his first term. It had been before republican administration for fiji teen years at that time and was as serious during that period as 1t is now or has been since 1913. Governor Sproule promises a firm handling of the Mexican situation by the republican party that was never firm about anything during its control of the American government except the tariff and that 1t boosted at the command of the greatest manufacturing interests in the world to the financial detriment of the con suuing public of the United States The "rape of the railroad' is highly allitera- tive but equally untrue. The breakdown of the railway systems, admitted by the lead ing railroad men of the country, under the heavy war traffic made necessary their consolidation under government control. No real rairOader, men at the head of their operations, can be found who will or has denied the necessity for such consoIida- ton as was carried out. The government operated them under conditions never be- fore experienced after the failure of pri- Vate operation under less trying conditions. The CumminS restoration bill, republican measure, provides for continuation of government guarantees of minimum profits to the owners even after government con trol ceases and the first action to be taken by the owners after the return of the roads to private control and operation will be to request a general advance on existing tariff schedules of 25 per cent.
 Governor Sproule's charge of extrava- gance will have to be admitted but inef- ficiency remains to be proven. War is a synonomous term for eXtravagance Film mate extravaganza from war and there is no war War is economic waste first, last and all the time The war was fought un- der a democratic administration which as a consequence must acknowledge the charge of being eXtravagant. But by the same logic 1t refutes the charge of ineffi- ciency. When the United States entered the war, the entente allies were beaten. That same eXtrayagent democratic admin istratiOn by not being niggardly in its preparations, in it's expenditures, succeed ed in getting double the number of men and amount of supplies to France in half the expected time. It surpassed the marks set TOT II Dy even US most severe cr1tlcS and the result was seen in the ending of hos tilities a full year before even the most sanguine allied supporters had anticipated and in the full and complete defeat of Ger many.
 Governor SprOule's case was weak one but it is the case which the republican party must support before the American people next year. It can use only dest1uc