Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-07-06
) same process of naturalization shall
, be required for women as for men.

same process of naturalization shall
be required for women as for men.
DISABLED SOLDIERS.
The federal government should
treat with the 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 the dependents of
the brave men who died in line of
duty the governments tenderest con-
Germ and richest bounty should be
their requital. The fine patriotism
exhibited, the heroic conduct dis.
played by American soldiers. sailors
and marines at home and abroad. con-
stitutes a sacred heritage of poster
ity the worth of which can never be
recompensed from the treasury and
the glory of which must not be dimin-
ished.
The democratic administration
wisely established a war risk insur-
ance bureau. giving four and half
millions of enlisted men insurance at
unprecedented low rates and through
the medium of which compensation OF
men and women injured in service is
Readily adjusted. and hospital facil
ties for those whose health is i'm
paired are abundantly afforded.
The federal board of vocational ed
ucation should be made a part of the
war risk insurance bureau, in order
that the task may be treated as 4
whole. and this machinery of pretec-
ton and assistance must receive every
aid of law and appropriation neces-
sary to full and effective operation.
We believe that no higher or more
valued privilege can be afforded to an
American citizen than to become a
free holder in the soil of the United
States and to that end we pledge our
party to the enactment of sOldirs' set
tlments and home aid legislation
which will afford the men who fought
for America the opportunity to be-
come land and home owners under
conditions affOrding genuine govern
ment assistance unencumbered b.
needless difficulties of red tape or ad-
vance financial Investment.
THE RAILROADS.
The railroads were subjected to fed
eral control as war measure withou:
other aid than the swift transport Of
trops, munitions and supplies. When
human life and national hopes were al
stake, profits could not be considered.
and were not. Federal operation.
however, was marked by an intelli-
gence 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 prac-
tees overcame these initial handicaps
and provided additions. betterments
and improvements. Economies en-
abled operations without the rate
raises that private control would have
found necessary. and labor was treat
ed with an exact justice that secured
the enthusiastic cooperation that vic
tory demanded. The fundamental
purpose of federal control was
achieved fully and splendidly and with
far less cost to the taxpayer than
would have been the case under pri'
vate operation. Investments in raj
road properties were not only saved,
by government operation, but govern
ment management returned these
properties vastly improved in every
physical and executive detail. A
great task was greatly discharged.
The presidents recommendation OF
return to private ownership gave the
republican majority a full year in
which to enact the necessary legisla-
ton. The house took six months to
formulate its ideas, and another six
months was consumed by the repub-
4 lican senate in equally vague debate.
AS a consequence the Esch- Cummins
bill went to the president in the clos
ing hours of congress and was forced
to a choice between the chaos of a
veto and acquiescence in the measure
submitted, however grave may have
been his objections to it.
There should be a fair and com
plete test Of the law until careful and
mature action by congress may cure
its defects and insure a thoroughly
effective transportation system under
private ownership without govern
ment subsidy at the expense of the
taxpayers Of the country.
IMPROVED HIGHWAYS.
Improved roads are of vital impor
lance not only to commerce and in
dustry but also to agriculture and
rural life. The federal road act OF
1916, enacted by a democratic con-
gress, represented the first systematic
effort of the government to insure the
building Of an adequate system OF
roads in this country. The act, as
amended, has resulted in placing the
movement for improved highways on
a progressive and substantial basis
in every state in the Union and in
bringing under actual construction
more than $4,000 miles of roads suit
ed to the traffic needs of the commu-
mites in which they are located. We
favor continuance of the present
federal aid plan under existing fed
eral and state agencies, amended SO
as to include as one of the elements
in determining the ratio in which the
several states shall be entitled to
share in the fund the area of any
public lands therein.
Inasmuch as the postal service has
been extended by the democratic
party to the door of practically every
producer and every consumer in the
country (ruraI froo da1ivorv o1Cu