Evening star., 1920-07-02
Ballots

dicaps and provided additions. better
ments and improvements. EconomieI
enabled operation without the rat|
raises that private control would havI
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 achiev|
ed fully and splendidly, and at fa|
less cost to the taxpayer than would
have been the case under privati
operation. Investments in railroad
properties were not only saved b1
government operation. but govern|
ment management returning thesi
properties vastly improved in ever1
physical and executive detail. A grea|
task was greatly discharged.
The Presidents recommendation o|
return to private ownership gave thu
republican majority a full year ID
which to enact the necessary legisla|
ton. The House took six months II
formulate it's ideas and another 81 !
months was consumed by the repub|
lican Senate in equally vague debate|
AS consequence, the Esch- -Cummini 4
bill went to the President in the clos|
ing hours of Congress. and he wal
forced to a choice between the chaoi
of a veto and acquiescence in thi
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 ma
cure it's defects and insure a thor|
oughly effective transportation sysI
ter under private ownership without
government subsidy at the expensI
of the taxpayers of the country.
Improved Highways
Improved roads are of vital i'm
portance not only to commerce and
industry, but also to agriculture and
rural life. The federal road act o|
1916. enacted by a democratic Com
gress, represented the first systematic
effort of the government to insure
the building of an adequate system o|
roads in this country. The act, al
amended, has resulted in placing thd
movement for improved highways on
a progressive and substantial basis iI
every state in the Union and in bring
ing under actual construction moro
than 1900 miles of roads suited
to the traffic needs of the communities
in which they are located.
We favor continuance of the pres
ent federal aid plan under existing
federal and state agencies, amended
SO as to include as one Of the ele1
ments in determining the ratio ir
which the several states shall be en-
titled to share in the fund. the area
Inasmuch as the postal service has
been extended by the democratid
party, to the door of practically every
producer and every consumer in the
country (rural free delivery alone
having been provided for 100000 ad
ditional patrons within the past eight
years without material added cost)
we declare that this instrumentality
can and will be used to the maximum
of it's capacity to improve the eff
cheney of distribution and reduce the
cost of living to consumers while in1
creasing the profitable oerations OF
producers.
We strongly favor the incre~- ID usd
of the motor vehicle in the transport
tation of the mails. and urge the rel
moval of the restrictions imposed By
the republican Congress on the use
of motor devices in mail transportaI
ton in rural territories.
Merchant Marine.
We desire to congratulate th}
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