Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-03-26

I6IfOCfaltC SicSSs hSab4CSS WAhS
its chief was in Europe.
The speaker congratulated the ma
ton on the leadership of Senator
Lodge throughout the treaty fight
in these words:
Let me say right here lest I forget
! 1t, that this nation has been most for
/ tunate IN having in the Senate Of the
United states Q man of the experience.
ability. patriotism and craftsmanship of
Senator Lodge. He is a great leader of
men and history will write him high
among the great men OF the world. In
| his work for peace he has had but
single purpose,-the protection of Amer
lea and all her interests. In the fight he
has made for reservations to a treaty
and league of nations that would save
our Constitution and protect America.
he has received the respect and admira-
ton of all political parties, and the
friendship Of the nations Of the worll
OF the conditions confronting the
new Republican Congress which met Ii
special session May IL, 1919 and of the
work accomplished bv it Mr. Hersey
spoke az follows:
faced such vital and tremendous prob
lens as those thrust upon the Republi
, can Congress on May 18th last Demo-
cratic inefficiency had demoralized every
department of Me government. We
faced an enormous debt of over 80 bill
lions. The great problems of recon
struction untouched by the Democrats
had been shifted to our shoulders with
Democratic President still in the
White House (Which had been removed
10 Paris) with a veto awaiting any
legislation his partisanship did not ap-
prove.
Our first work was to re-enact the
appropriation ILLS that had failed in
the last Congress and to cut them to the
quick for the benefit of the taxpayers
and the credit of the nation. / cannot
go into the details. but it is sufficient
TO ray that we saved to the people Of
this country over one and one-half bill
lion dollars in the enactment Of these
large supply rea sures.
We then undertook to economic in all
general legislation involving expendi-
lures OF money and providing for the
maintenance of the executive depart
ments. and down to Gate we have saved
in all over three billion dollars from
the department estimates. We have en-
acted over 900 public laws. Among the
most important are those relating to
agriculture; REORGANIZATION of the army
and navy; necessary amendment to the
war risk irEurance law: more liberal
pensions to the soldiers and widows Of
The Civil war. and pensions to those
who served in the Spanish-American
war: legislation. returning the railroads
to their owners: passage of the equal
suffrage amendments; return TO their
owners of telegraph, telephone and ca
Bile lines: enactment OF a law fer voca
tional training and rehab;li. att n of the
wounded soldiers and sailors; legislation
enlarging and making more efficient our
hospital services: placing on the statute
books the enforcement, provisions for
national prohibition: settlement of war
contracts: liberal labor legislation;
amendments to the immigration laws
and an anti-dumping tariff law.
The Republicans have also undertaken
to investigate all the large war con-
tracts and war expenditures. and we
have go far exposed and brought 20
light wholesale graft and great waste
in the conduct of the war, which In
vestigations ana reports ire rinted for
the benefit of all the people.
CharacteriAin the record of the Dem
ocratic party as public scardal. Mr..
Herser mentioned the general conduct
Of the war. Colonel Ansell's expose Of
the courts martial. Admiral Sins testi-
fnony showing the decentralization Of
the navy the graft and waste in the
construction Of government PARTS dur
ing the war. and the aircraft scandal
As the outstanding features. The fight
on treaty ratification he revived at
it viii never he ratified mill RepubIi-
can President accepts the I.cdPe reser-
vations.
With regard to the ccmi'g election
Chairman Herse" said:
I do not know who will be the next
President of the United States. but one
thing know to a certainty. he will not
be Democrat VIII ever is nominated
by the Republican marty he viii be 4
true American. The next Pro 7i-lent will
not only stand for America and Ameri-
can rights against al the wo,lI but rs
viii consult and advise with tire Con
gress Of the United States He will
never ask the people to elect Congress