The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-02-20
THAN
IN G|V|.LIzA ALTON
America Must Get Back to
First Principles With
out Delay.
|RATIFYTHE PEACE TREATY
Check Right to Strike When
It Becomes Menace to
Public.
'RATIFY THE PEACE TREATY

tBy Associated Pressl
NEW YORK, Feb. 20.-Elihu Root
outlined at the Republican state con-
vention here last night the platform
upon which he believes the party
should go to the polls in November.
Most striking of his proposals were;
Decentralization of the executive
powers which have made the presi-
dent! more autocratic than any SOW
ereign in the civilized world" Rati.
ftcation 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 "a
Republican president Immediately af-
ter March 4, 1921" to establish "the
rule of public right rather than the
rule ofSmere expedieney."
+ Rigid governmental economy and,
the adoption Of an executive budget.
Limitat atton of the right ito strike at
a point where Il com fiicts with self
preservation Of the community; es-
tablishment of a labor tribunal with
power to- enforce its mandates.
Revision Of the system of taxation
which involves the tariff.
Americanization and the elimina-
ton of "a lot of Bolshevfki or Boil
sheyiki sympathizers" from public
office.
Universal military training.
Mr.. Roots address, made at con
vention called to recommend four
delegates at large to the national
convention, was regarded as the OPEN
ing gun of the campaign. It, was
prepared after informal conferences
with the most distinguished Republis
cans Of the state.
More important than all," Mr..
Root said, us the necessity that we
shall restore our republican form of
government, with the liberty Of the
individual citizen preserved by lin
itations upon official power, and put
an end to the dictatorship which we
created, in order to carry on the war.
By a series of statues unprecedented
in scope and liberality, with single
ness of purpose and patriotic devo.
tion worthy of all praise, the Amer,
lean people conferred upon the Pres
ident powers broader and more auto
cratic than were possessed by any
sovereign in the civilized world Our
capacity for effort, our fortunes, our
liberty Of conduct, our lives, were
freely placed at the disposal of an
executive whose authority was so vast
that its limits were imperceptible. The
authority was exercised by the Pres
ident. by his heads of departments
his bureau chiefs, his government
agents, and his personal agents, to
ahe full, without question, because
the people of America were ready for
any sacrifice to win the war.
Peace has come, in fact, If not
technically; but the war powers Of
the executive still continue. They
should be brought to an end. It is
not simple thing, for new conditions
have been created, which should be
dealt with at the same time by new
statues adapted to the conditions Of
peace, and subject to the limitations
upon power Of our Constitutional sys-
tenn.
There is a double immediate pur-
pose to be served. One, to restore
the habit of freedom. It Is danger
GUS for people to acquire the habit
of bowing to power without limits.
They soon become subservient, and
then character essential to freedom
Continued on page twelve.)