Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-07


with the League and its continuance az n
member thereof will naturally depend
upon the adherence OF the League to that
fundamental purpose
fSuch declaration would at least ex-
press the view OF the United States and
Justify the course which our patton would
unquestionabIy follow if the basic purpose
of the League were at any time distorted.
1t would also appear TO be simpler mat
ter to provide against any misunder--
standing in the future and at the same
time to meet the objections of those who
believe that we might be inviting a con-
troversy over our constitutional rights,
hv making O senatorial addition in words
something like these:
I" 1T will of course be understood that
in carrying out the purpose Of the League,
the government of the United States must
al all times act in strict harmony with the
terms and intent Of the United States
Constitution which cannot in any way
be altered by the treatymaking power. =
PLATFORM BARS NO HELPFUL ADDITIONS.
Unquestioned friends Of the Leag
have made other proposals. Our plat
form clearly lays no bar against any adj
ditions that will be helpful, but IT speaks
in firm resolution TO stand against any
thing that disturbs the vital principle.
We hear il said that interpretations are
unnecessary That may be true, but they
will at least be reassuring to many of our
citizens. who feel that in signing the
Treaty there should be no mental reserva-
tions that are not expressed In plain
words, as a matter of good faith to our
associates. Such interpretations possess
the further virtue OF supplying base
upon which agreement can be reached,
and agreement, without injury TO the
covenant, is now of pressing Importance.
II was the desire to get things started that
prompted some members OF the Senate
10 vote for the Lodge reservations. Those
who conscientiously voted for them in
the final roll calls realized, however, that
they acted under duress, In that a politl-
cally bigoted minority was exercising the
arbitrary power of its position to enforce
drastic conditions. Happily the voters of
the Republic, under our system of govern
ment, can remedy that situation, and
have the faith that they will, at the
election this fall. Then organized govern
ment will be enabled to combine impulse
and facility in the making of better world
conditions. The agencies of exchange will
automatically adjust themselves to- the
DpDOftuDlIieS Oh COiIllltfCldi
New life and renewed hope will take hold
of every nation. Mankind will press a
resolute shoulder TO the task of readIust
ment and new era will have dawned
upon the earth.
DOMESTIC PROBLEMS.
We have domestic problems to be set
tied. They are most pressing Many con-
ditions growing out of the war will not
and should not continue. The work of
readiustment will call for our best energy,
ingenuity, ,unselhshness and devotion to the
idea that it is the general welfare we must
promote. One of the first things to be
done is the repeal of war taxes. The entry
of America into the World War projected
our people into an unparalleled financial
emergency which was faced with de-
termination to make every sacrifice neces-
sary to victory Billions in liberty loans
subscribed by patriots regardless of their
financial condition were instantly placed
at the disposal of the government, and
other billions were gladly paid into the
treasury through many forms of taxation.
To have paid by current taxes more than
one-third of the expense of the greatest
war In the history of mankind is re-
Election on the high sense of national duty
with which we of America view the obll-
cations of this generation. Immediately
following the armistice, measures to
modify onerous and annoying taxation
should have been taken and the Republi-
can Congress in which all tax laws must
originate, and which for almost two years
has exclusively held the power to amelio-
rate this condition, has not made a single
effort or passed a single law to lift from
the American people load Of war taxa
ton that cannot be tolerated in time
of peace.
Federal taxation must be heavily re-
duced, and it will be done at once, if
Democratic administration is chosen in
November Without hampering essen
tial national administrative departments,
by the elimination of all others and strict
economy everywhere, national taxes can
be reduced in excess of two billion dollars
yearly Annoying consumption taxes,
once willingly borne, now unIustlEed,
should be repealed The incomes from
war-made fortunes, those OF non-pro-