Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-11
GEN. WOOD DENIES
UNREST IN NATION
|SPRESEN1 PERIL
Practice Economy, Increase
Production and Shun
Fakirs, He Advises.
by \. O. MESSENGER.


stand steady until we get or
balance: practice economy and in
crease production. America is all
right; our only danger is from fakirs
who offer patent medicine economic
remedies"
Thus spoke Gen. Leonard Wood.
candidate for the republican presi-
Dental nomination. who is in Wash
ington today, in a talk with news
paper men.
AttjTed in the Uniform of his Army
rank he looked in the pink of con-
dition after nearly three months OF
arduous travel and speechmaking be-
fore American audiences Of all KINDS
and conditions of men and women.
The unrest in this country is not
dangerous" sa id Gen. Wood. IF there
is danger il is rather from our own
Indifference than from aggressiveness
by radicals. We are too content to
allow things to drift. The issue which
seems to be the most acute with the
people is the cost of living. Men with
families to raise are apprehensive as
to how to get along.
"No Legislative Care"
I'VE must realize that we cannot
legislate a cure for the high cost of
!
that is to produce more and to save
When all come>so this realization and
act upon it, conditions will correct
themselves. There is no separation
Of the naoss of VIII ,hs rss
million people in this country earn
ing wages. and at least an equal
number dependent upon them. of
course there is sympathy for labor
IL is the bulk of the population.
fo1 in
earners throughout the country we
have told them that all that labor
wants is what every right-minied
American Wants-a chance to earn
No American should ask to be cod
died or to be given an unfair advan-
faRe over another. We. have. told
them that they must have American
leadership-not necessarily leaders
American born. but men IN sympathy
We have never failed to get favor
able response to these sentiments"
Federal Expenditures.
Gen. Wood said that the people
.eem 10 he more interested in radi-
cal reduction of federal expenditures
than any other question before Con-
eress as the first move to getting
back to normal conditions. He did
no, believe that the league Of nations
was the most absorbing topic with
them.
"They want either d league of ma
tions with strong Americanizlng res
eryations Or no league at all. ne de-
clared. He thought the league was
.econdary to the cost of living and to
Industrial conditions. anyhow. and
that the people want the question set
tied and out of the way.
DiscussinR the adjusted compensa-
tion of the service men. he expressed
the opinion that they Were more IN
tsrested in the method Of application
-, tho nroposed relief than anything
Eve see 100000 soldiers returning
to the country and being absorbed IN
the body Of the population without a
ripple" said Gen. Woou. me. nts fa nave
lies and associates as if nothing had
hannened, The returned service men
today constitute the greatest force
for Deace and order in the country
rhe last thing they want is disturb
Inc ance or war. although they would
he the first to take up arms in
righteous or necessary war They
form one of the safest and most con-
seryatiye elements of the popula-
ton"
General Primary Day.
Cen. Wood expressed himself as
willing. to leave to the service men
themselves their decision on the ques-
ton of preparedness and military
training. Discussing subject which
evidently had been forced upon his
attention by his own experience, Gen.
wood said he wished 1t could be pos
sible to have q general primary day
throughout the country, as there is a
general election day.
He commented upon the fact that
the present system requires candi-
dates to go from state to state as the
primary dates approach in the differ
ent states. He deplored the necessary
EXPENSES of these campaigns and
hoped the time would come when all
the states would hold their primaries
on the same day. SO that more eff
cient system of campaigning could be
pursued. Gnhappily. he feared. it
seemed unlikely that any system
could be devised which would compel
q large vote in the primaries.
Gen. Wood said the woman voters are
taking keener interest in the primaries
than the men. Asked il this were due
to the novelty Of their new-found right
'poDu3sagevAa4e Expressed the contrary