Omaha daily bee., 1920-08-18
ECONOMY A CAMPAIGN ISSUE.

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ECONOMY A CAMPAIGN ISSUE
While the republican leaders have consented
meet the democrats on an issue chosen by
he administration, that of the League of Ma
ions, other features Of the campaign should not
'e overlooked One quite as VITAL and touching
very home and hreside as directly, is that of the
financial policy to be pursued 1t naturally in
olives the wasteful extravaganza of the govern
nent during the war, augmented and sought to
pc perpetuated since the armstice, and the
mountain of debt piled up against the future.
atriotic Americans pledged every man of our
itizenship and every dollar of our wealth to
winning the war, but will demand strict ac-
counting for the death of any soldier who did
lot come home, and equally just and accurate
howing for every dollar that was spent This
but their right, and they would not be true
o their principles if they did not exact from
heir servants true record of stewardship.
Because Of this the platforms and the
peeches of acceptance are of deep interest. The
cpublican platform promises relief to be
achieved in the way of economy of public ex-
'enditure. The present congress already has
lone something on this line of endeavor, having
educed the estimates and demands of the ad-
ninistration for 1920 and 1921 by $27l0,2o
1880. There you have reasonable proof of
epublican devotion to economy. Senator Hard
ng in his speech of acceptance pledges himself
o 4 revision of the Treasury policy of bor-
owing. to a readjustment of taxation, and to
he most rigid economy possible under wise
md efficient budget system.
The platform adopted at San Francisco
,erates the republican congress for not having
-evised the revenue law, its heritage from
democratic congress, framed by Claudes Kitchin
o make the north pay for the war;" and pre-
served by warning from Carter Glass that any
effort to alter or amend it would be met by
veto from the president Governor Cox CLOSES
over the situation with promise to reduce
taxation or at least to shift the levy around. and
lays much stress on the fact that the republican
congress, more than year after war ended.
appropriated nearly FIVE billions of dollars for
the fiscal year 1921. He does not tell why this
was necessary
No democrat has yet had tetnerty to accuse
the republican party of being responsible for
the democratic blunder Of seizing the railroads,
the telegraph and telephone wires and other
forms of public communication. One item
! in the appropriation bill to which Governor Cox
smilngly refers is ST. 900 to pay for "fed-
eral operation and control of transportation sys-
tens and expenses incident to termination OF
federal CONTROL" $980000000 was set aside to
pay interest on the public debt; $260,OOO,O00 for
' the retirement of Liberty bonds. Victory notes,
ETC.; and other items growing out of past wars
enough to bring the total up to $2,83Sll ll64oO
To this should be added appropriations for the
national defense of 1855 os6 962, and we find that
more than s3,6OOOoOOOO of the total is due to
| the expense of wars already fought and decent
regard for national safety in time OF general
uncertainty Had the Treaty of Versailles been
ratified in June 1919, and the League of Nations
Immediately existent and operative, this $3,6oo,-
100000 still would have been needed, and Gov
ernor Cox knows it.
When the Wilsonian era ends on March q,
| 1921, it will leave among other souvenirs OF its
career floating debt of more than three billions;
Its successor must take care of this, and also OF
loan Of FIVE billions falling due in 1928.
Neither the democratic platform nor its candi-
date makes any promise as to what is to be
done about these items Senator Harding says:
Let us call to all the people for thrift and
economy for denial and sacrifice if need be,
for nation wide drive against extravagance
and luxury, to recommittal to simplicity OF
living, to that prudent and normal plan of
life. which Is the health of the republic -.
Give the assurance OF that rugged simplicity OF
American life which marked the first century
of amazing development and this generation
may underwrite second century of surpass-
ing accomplishment.
In simple words the republican candidate for
president calls us to the colors OF postwar
duty He proposes no magic solution of the
problem no mysterious panacea, no soft and
easy way out of the morass Of debt and difficulty
into which democratic ncompetency has
plunged the nation. Industry and economy,
simplicity in private and public life. these and
these only are the remedies suggested, and in
them only can the nation put dependence.
Small Returns With Safety.