The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1920-08-12

hands of its friends IN the senate, ana
a safe index as to what they will do is
! supplied by what reservations they
have proposed In the past. Some
months ago, In contributed article to
the New York Times, l expressed my
own opinion of the situation as 1t then
was. l reproduce 1t here:
"There can be no doubt but that
some senators have been conscientious
in their desire to clarity the provisions
Of the treaty. Two things apparently
have disturbed them First, they want
ed to make sure that the league was
not to be an alliance, and that its basic
purpose was peace and not controver-
sy. Second, they wanted the other
powers signing the instrument to I'M
derstand our constitutional limitations
beyond which the treaty-making pow
er cannot 60 Dealing with these two
questions in order, it has always seem
ed to me that the Interpretation Of the
function of the league might have been
stated In these words:
4" In giving its assent to this treaty,
the senate has In mind the fact that
the League of Nations which It EN-
bodies was devised for the sole pur-
pose of maintaining peace and comfy
among the nations OF the earth and
preventing the recurrence of such de-
structive conflicts as that through
which the world has just passed.
The cooperation Of the United States
with the League and its continuance
as a member thereof will naturally de-
pend upon the adherence of the
League to that fundamental purpose
"Such a declaration would at least |
express the view of the United States
and justify the course which our ma
ton would unQuestiOnably follow If |.
the basic purpose of the League were
at any time distorted. 1t would also
appear to be a simpler matter to pro-
vide against any misunderstanding In
the future and at the same time to
meet the objections of those who be- /
lieve that we might be inviting a con-
troversy over our constitutional rights,
by making a senatorial addition in .
words something like these:
1t will Of course be understood I
that in carrying out the purpose of the .
League, the government of the United .
States must at all time act in strict .
harmony with the terms and intent of
the United States Constitution which /
cannot in any way be altered by the
treaty-making power
Helpful Additions Not Barred.
"Unquestloned friends of the
League have made other proposals.
Our platform clearly lays no bar
against any additions that will be help
full, but 1t speaks in firm resolution
to stand against anything that dis
turbs the vital principle We hear 1t
said that interpretations are unnneces-
sary. 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 res
ervations that are not expressed In
plain words, as a matter Of good faith
to our associates Such interpreta-
lions possess the further virtue OF
supplying a base upon which agree
ment can be reached, and agreement,
without injury to the covenant is
now Of pressing Importance. 1t was
the desire to get things started, that
prompted some members of the senate
to vote for the Lodge reservations.
Those who conscientlously voted for
them In the final roll calls realized,
however, that they acted under duress,
in that a politically bigoted minority
was exercising the arbitrary power Of
It's position to enforce drastic con5l-
TONS Happily the voters of the re-
public, under our system of govern
ment, can remedy that situation, and
have the faith that they will, at the
election this fall Then organized
government 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 opportunities Of
commercial freedom. New life and re-
newed hope will take hold of every
nation. Mankind will press a resolute
shoulder to the task Of readjustment,
and new era will have dawned upon
the earth
Federal Taxation.
Federal taxation must be heavily
reduced, and 1t will be done at once,
II q Democratic administration Is
chosen In November Without hamper
ing essential national administrative
departments, by the elimination of all
others and strict economy everywhere,
national taxes can be reduced in ex-
cess Of two billion dollars yearly. An
noying consumption taxes, once will
Ingly borne, now unjustihed, should be
repealed. The incomes from war-made
fortunes, those Of non-producers and
those derived from industries that exist
by unfair privilege may be able to
carry their present load, but taxes on
the earnings OF the wage-earner, OF the
salaried and professional man, Of the
agricultural producer and Of the small
tradesman should be sharply modified.
believe that better form of taxation
than the so-called excess profits tax
may be found and suggest a small
tax, probably one to one and one-half
per cent on the total business Of every
going concern. 1t is to be understood
that the term business as used does