Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-29
POLITICAL ORGANIZATION WILL
TAKE ACTIVE PART IN
CAMPAIGN.
ORGANIZERS COMPLAIN
SOLDIERS ARE IGNORED
Claim Made That Both Parties An
Not Giving Veterans Square Deal
--Aiisgs Conspiracy Exists Among
Party Leaders to Eliminate Them
Organization TO Extend to lswa.
IBy p q. Dougherty.l

1
service men in Iowa are TO be invit-
ed to Join the x-service mems ma
tional political vigilance committee
which was temporarily organized
here this week at a meeting pre-
sided over by Col. Grant T. Trent. of
RogersvilIe. Tenn. The purposes of
the committee is to take an active
part in the coming political campaign
to safeguard the interests of the fors
mer soldiers, sailors and marines in
future legislation.
At the preliminary meeting Of the
former service men. tentative plans
were made for expanding the COM
mittee's organization TO every VOTING
precinct in the country. along similar
| lines to the working organizations IN
both political parties.
1T Is apparent" Colonel Trent
said. that the old organization lead
ers in both parties are preparing to
place the sign OF NO service men
need apply on the doors of the Chi
cago and San Francisco conventions.
/ There is no organization of service
men which is making an effort 10
/ procure the proper representation in
! the party councils Of the men who
won the war. A scanning of the list
of delegates already selected for both
national conventions will reveal the
astounding fact that former soldiers
will have about as large a represen-
! tation on the floor of the convention
as the people of Guam. The same
condition obtains with respect 10 the
candidates nominated and being con-
| sidered for nomination for state and
county officers thruout the country.
1T Is true that General Wood is
the most prominent candidate for the
republican nomination. but the old
line republican leaders are insisting
that he should be eliminated solely
on, account of his military =, service.
Finley do not Otherwise Question hfs
| fitness for the high office. General
Pershing was simply scoffed at as a
presidential possibility. The condi-
tons in the democratic party are
even worse, as not one of the gallant
soldiers of the late war has even
presumed to regard himself as eligi-
BILE for the democratic nomination.
This conspiracy to eliminate the
soldiers from direct and active par
ticipation in the affairs Of the two
great political parties was conceived
land put into operation eve khile
/ the war was still raging 1SN be
] no. Rffnrr
vas made by either of the two par
ties to extend the rights of suffrage
to the four and one half million men
who were in the service. Under an
act passed by parliament English
soldiers and sailors exercised the
right Of suffrage whether they were
serving in France, Italy. South Afri-
ca or on the high seas in the feet.
THE four and one-half million
men upon discharge from the serv-
ice found that the organizations Of
their respective parties were In the
hands of a few men who stayed at
| home. What our committee wishes
to do is to force some recognition for
ex-service men in the affairs of both
| parties. These men learned TO stand
on their feet during the great emer-
gency and their calm Judgment will
be invaluable not only to the political
parties but to the country as a whole.
We intend to have ex-service men
affiliated with both political parties
on our committee and conduct our
campaign along this liae."
Minimum Wage Bill Assured.
Passage by the senate of the John
SON. Nolan minimum wage bill for all
federal employees was forecast in
statement issued today by Senator
Kenyon, of Iowa, chairman Of the
senate committee on educa ton and
labor. Senator Hiram Johnson, upon
his return to Washington from his
campaign tour. will confer with Sem
ator Kenyon and other senate leaders
AZ to the best time to bring the bin
up on the floor for passage.
Il believe the Johnson Nolan bill
can be passed" Senator Kenyon said
today. 1T is one Of the bills which 1
do not believe the senate will ad-
jcurn without passing Among the
| others are the bill to regulate the
packing industry. the Woman's Blu
reau bill. and legislation to prevent
profiteering."
The Iohnson-No bill passed the
house last July. 1t provides for a
minimum wage of 50 day. or $1,000
a year: for all government ernnlnvea
turnout the United States and is re-
garded by the National Federation of
Federal Employees as the most i'm
portant piece Of legislation In the
interests Of government workers now
before congress.