The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-06-11

began with the passage of the reclama ton act signed by President Roosevelt The recent passage of the coal. oil ant phosphate leasing bill by a republican Congress and the enactment of the watei power bill fashioned in accordance witt the same principle, are consistent land marks in the development of the con servation of our national resources. W' denounce the refusal of the president t' sign the water power bill passed aftei ten. years. Of controversy The republican party has taken an especially honorable part in saving our national forests anc in the effort to establish a national for est, policy. Our most pressing conserve ation question relates to our forests. Wt are using our forests resources fastei than they are being renewed. The re suit is to raise undulv the cost of foresl products to consumers and especialiS farmers, who use more than half tn' 1 lumber prodnced in America, and in thf end to create timber famine. The fed eral government the states and priVat interests must unite in devising means te meet the menace.
 RECLAMATION We favor a fixed and comprehensive policy of reclamation to increase natloha wealth and production.
 We recognize in the development oi reclamation through federal action witn it's increase of production and taxable wealth a safeguard for the nation.
 We commend to Congress policy to reclaim lands and the establishment OF a fixed national policy of development oi natural resources in relation to reclama- tion through the designated government agencies.
 THE SERVICE MEN
 II. -hr-ear r1O O the valor and the patriotism of the sol diers and sailors of America who fough. in the great war for human liberty, ara we pledge ourselves to discharge to the fullest the obligations which a gratetui nation justly should fulfill, in apprecia- ton of the services rendered by it's de- lenders on sea and on land
 Republicans are not ungratef1i' Throughout their history they have shown their gratitude toward the na- tions defenders Liberal legislation for the care of the disabled and infirm and their dependents has ever marked re- publican policy toward the soldiers and sailor of all the wars in which our coun try has participated The present Con gress has appropriated generously for the disabled of the world war. The amounts already reached the stupendous sum Of $1 ,1S0, 5n, ,s93 This is significant of the party's purpose in generously caring tor the maimed and disabled men of the re- cent war.
 CIVIL SERVICE
 We renew our repeated declaration that the civil service law shall be thor oughly and honestly enforced and ex- tended wherever practicable. The re cent action of Congress in enacting 2 comprehensive civil service railway law and working out com prehensive employment and wage policy that will guarantee equal and just treatment to the army of government workers, and in centralizing the administration of the new and progressive employment policy in the hands Of the civil service commission is worthy of all praise
 We condemn the present administra- ton for its destruction of the eff ciency of the postal service and the telegraph and telephone service when controlled by the government, and for it's failure to properly compensate em- ployes whose expert knowledge is es- sential to the proper conduct of the affairs of the postal system. We com mend the republican Congress for the enactment of legislation increa sing the pay of postal employees, who up to that time were the poorest paid in the gov- ernment service.
 WOMAN SUFFRAGE
 We welcome women into full partici- patton in the affairs of government and the activities of the republican party. We earnestly hope that repub- lican legisla lures in states which have not yet acted upon the suffrage amend L. ment will ratify the amendment. to the end that all of the women of the na- tion of voting age may participate in the election of 1920 which is so i'm . portant to the welfare of our coun- try.
 SOCIAL PROGRESS
 The supreme duty of the nation is the conservation of human resource through an enlie htened measure os social and industrial justice. Although the federal Jurisdiction over social problems is limited, they affect the welfare and interests of the nation as a whole. We pledge the republican n party to the solution of these problems through national and state 1egisla tion in accordance with the best progress sive though. of the country.
 EDUCATION AND HEALTH
 We indorse the principle of federal aic to the states for the purposes of voca. ticnal and agricultural training.
 Wherever federal money is devoted to education such education must be SC directed as to awaken in the youth the spirit of America and a sense of patriotic duty to the United States.
 A thorough system of physical educa- ton for all children up to the age o l9, including adequate health supervision ana instruction, would remedy condition! revealed by the draft and would add tc the economic and industrial strength o1 the nation. National leadership and stim ulation will be necessary to induce the states to adopt wise system of physica training.
 The public health activities of the fed eral government are scattered through numerous departments and bureaus, re sutling in inefficiency. duplication ant extravagance. We advocate a greate centralization of the federal functions and in addition urge the better co-ordi nation of the work of the federal, stat and local health agencies.
 PART TEN
 CHILD LABOR | The republican party stands for fed eral child labor law and for its rigid en 1 forcement. If the present law be foune unconstitutional or ineffective, we shal | seek other means to enable Congress t' prevent the evils of child labor. WOMEN IN INDUSTRY Women have special problems of em ployment which make necessary specia | study We commend Congress for tn permanent establishment of the women'' bureau in the United States departmen l of labor to serve as source of lnfor nation to the states and to Congress. | The principle of equal pay for equa service should be applied throughout al branches of the federal government il which women are employed.
 | Federal aid for vocational training should take into consideration the spe cial aptitudes and needs of womei workers.
 We demand federal legislation t,