Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-10

tul management to work out. 1t will
take the finest minds and the most
| earnest efforts to save us from n really
deplorable condition in handling this
question.
In the first year of government con
troll, enough mischief was done to take
many yenrs of conscientious work and
billions of dollars to undo. But we
must meet this question squarcly and
promptly, as the great plans for prog
ress and development will all be futile
IL our transportation system is allowed
to disintegrate.
1--WE are warned that we must not
undertake any new projects. Perhaps
that is good advice until we have
cleaned up some of the old ones, but
action along this line ought to be forth
coming very quickly, and the admins
trative incompetency, which has de-
mOralizcd and scandaiized the country
and by its example has impaired other
activities and lowered the standard of
our thrift and productiveness, should
soon be replaced by q careful and bust
nesslike management of public affairs.
The mopping up will be painful,
but 1t must be thorough, for relief from
extravaganza is sorely needed, and an
| abatement Of the taxes which throttle
enterprise and work hardship upon all
of the people must soon be forthcom-
ing. The United States Government Is
che greatest business establishment ever
devised by man 1t raises and disburses
more money than any other single
agency has done in ali recorded time.
Shall not the people who furnish all of
this money see to it that it is expended
with ordinary business judgment and
care?
Governmental Intermeddling Must Stop
''The people want relief from the in :
terminable meddling of governmental de-
partments in their private and personal
affairs. They want a cessation of the
strangle hold of regulation of enter
prise. They want a return to the states
and to the people themselves of the
powers so generously given to the exe4
cutive in time of war and which have
been expanded far beyond anything con f.
templated in the grant of authority
given by Congress.
''The people are for a strong federal
government, but they want the govern
ment to CO. ordinate with and not ride
over the states and the citizens. We can
not but be convinced that the elasticity
of our form of government has been one
of it's great safeguards and has made
for its beneficence and its pormanence.
! II is made up of a group of states, each
( with it's own peculiar needs and condi-
| tiOns and its own particular ways of
dealing with these. The states should
| be strengthened in their usefulness to
| their own people, and the government
at Washington should co operate with
them to make them more efficient in
meeting their own emergencies.
Fair Play to New States
II am one of those who believe that
the new states, and especially those
where the problems of development are
Intensified by nnfavorable natural con-
ditiOns, should be given q special con-
sideration by the federal government
and that generous policy regarding the
public lands should be a part of the
Republican platform. so that these
states may be helped to obtain for
themselves the advantages possessed
by the older states through the distri-
button of the public domain and the
utilization Of its proceeds.
What Our Loans to Allies Would DO
'From a practical standpoint it is
amazing to contemplate what might be
done in the way of public improvements
with the money which we have advanced
w Oul hllltS bulIllS lhc iuSb ioN va -,
The interest upon this sum would build
each year six modern paved highways
across the country from the Atlantic
to the Pacific and six more from the
Canadian line to our southern boundary
The principal sum of our so 900 ,0OO.
600 in loans would give us a network
of paved roads over the entire country
only thirty miles apart north ana soutf
and east and west.
''These figures are important as show
ing what may be done for our oWl
pponlc under a far: sighted policy Of
national Improvement. Our situation
at home and our relations Abroad
fact, the whole of our governmentai OUT
look-seem for the moment mixed ana
to the thoughtless. discourGglng' eu
this il the time for deep thinking lo'
real constructive energy and tru'
snirit of Americanism on the part OIL th'
people and their servants
Supreme Test of Patriotism
GAS most of US have seen, the supreme
test of our patriotism and OF our deVo
tion 70 our land and its INSTITUTIONS
has not come during the great war
when we were all exalted by the splrl
nf conflict, but now it comes when w
sit down to count the cost. pay th'
hills md to make the readiustment'
growing out of the mighty crisis. ou'
sacrifices. great as they have been, arr
LIGHT indeed compared with those o
our allies We were barely scratched
in the fray. and our institutions ant
onr faith in our democracy VIII be IN
deed poor and flimsy if they are ever
severely shaken by any conditions no"
confronting us.
'If we will but come down out OF The
FOOLS paradise of extravaganza ana IN
efficiency In which we have been soar
ing and get back to work IN earneS
our troubles and even our deDts WI
soon vanish. We have running star
In the great race of national progress
and 1t is for us to utilize the advan
tages which we have here. to strengthen
ourselves along lines of rational de
velopment to tackle the questions be
fore ms with courage and spirit and t.
helm our people get back upon thu
broad highway of prosperity and rea
advancement now open before us.
Republican Party's Great 0ppOrtunit!
"The Republican party is ready an
equal to the task. We must size up I
il and, passing for the time the smalle
and inconsequental things devote our
selves to the real issues which are l
the hearts OF the people. have littl
doubt that If we will go into this cam
paign upon a platform Of economy an
efficiency In public administration q
frmness and justice in our foreign rela
D tions and Of constructive and practiea
/ progress toward our domestic develop
mcnt, we shall be overwhelmingly sue
; ceesful and will have before US an 0p