Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-02-20

New York. Feb 1a.-Elihu Root out
Ined at the Republican state convention
tonight. the platform on which he be-
.ieves the party should go to the polls in
November Most striking of his proposals
Were:
Decentralization Of the executive
powers which have made the president
more autocratic than any sovereign IN
the civilized world
Ratification of the peace treaty with
senate amendments long before the
presidential elections
Reform of the league of nations
covenant BY a congress of nations at the
call Of Republican president i'm
medlately after March 4. 1921. to estab-
hsh the rule of public right rather
than the rule of mere expediency.'
Limit on Strike Right
Rigid governmental economy and the
adoption Of an executive budget
Limitation of the right to strike at a
point where it conflicts with self-pre-
seryation OF the community; establish
ment of labor tribunal with power to
enforce its mandates
Revision Of the systems Of taxation
which involves the tariff"
Amerlcanization and elimination of
lot of bolsheviki or bolshevik sympa
thizers from public office
Universal military training.
Must Restore Democracy
Most important Of all Mr. Root
said. is the necessity that We shall
restore our republican form of govern
ment, with the liberty of the individual
citizen preserved by limitations upon Of
flcial powers and put an end to the
which was created in order
to carry on the war BY series Of
statutes unprecedented in scope and
lberality, with sinsleness of purpose
and patriotic devotion worthy of all
praise, the American people conferred
upon the president powers broader ana
more autocratic than werex possessed
~ arg sovereign in the civiMed world.
Dur capacity for effort, our fortunes,
1ur liberty If conduct. our lives We're
Freely placed at the dispoSal of an
Executive whose authority was 50 vas.
hat its limits were imperceptihe. The
was exercised by the president,
" his heads of departments. his bureau
'hiefs. his government agents, and his
personal agents, to the full, withou,
question, because the people of America |
we're ready for any sacrifice to win the
var,
Danger of Loosing Habit OF Freedom
Peace has come. in fact, If not /
echncally: bnt the war powers of the /
xecntive still continue. They should /
e brought to an end. It is not simple /
hing. for new conditions have been (
which should be dealt with AT
he same time by new statutes adapted ,
0 the conditions of peace, and subject /
0 the limitations upon power of our
institutional system.
There is double immediate pur-
'ose to be served. One, to restore the
labit of freedom. 1t is dangerous for
people to acquire the habit Of bowing
0 power without limits. They soon be-
ome subseTvient and the character es-
ential to freedom degenerates. The
ither is to stop multitude of inter-
erences, i'll judged although well meant.
With the natural course of business
through which alone natura, laws can
perate to restore normal conditions.
Wilson Appeared as Dictator.
"The appeal of President Wilson in
october. 1918, for the election OF q
congress-" he declared. was
demand for the continuance of SUI
RENE power BY the election Of con
ress which would submit itself to the
rde-1 of an executive acting at once
$ party leader in politics, and a die
aror in government. Il WAS the instinct
f American democracy that repellad
he demand.
The presidents J defiance Of the
uthority Of the senate 10 advise upon
he covenant of the league of nations
nd TO give or withhold it's consent to
1e ratification of the treaty containing
;" he continued, was an asserting o, ,,
ght to continue the same autocratic
over. 1t was a challenge to the right
{ any officer of the United States
Dye-nment to exercise his powers in '
ny way which had not the approval o,
&c chief executive.
Ought to Ratify Provlso Treaty i
fs,The reservations adopted by the {
nate, remedy. so far as the United
tates is concerned. the chief objections a
the treaty. They prevent our en- n
nnce into the league of nations from V
ling an abandonment Of the Monroe r
,ctrine. with irreparable injury to the 2
nited States and no benefit to th.
st of the world
"It seems clear to me that in the in !
rests of the worlds peace. when nj, j
merica desires 10 promote, their treaty
lght to be ratified with the resery.-