The Rice belt journal., 1920-06-19

form evils in procedure and guarantee
more efficient and responsible govern
ment.
Agriculture.
A large and contented body OF farm
proprietors is the backbone OF the ma
ton National greatness and economic
independence demand population dis
tributed between industry and the farm.
and sharing on equal terms the pros
perity which is wholly dependent on
the efforts Of both. Neither can pros
per at the expense of the other without
inviting joint disaster
The crux Of the present agricultural
condition lies In price, labor, and credit.
The Republican party believes that
this condition can be improved and ag-
ricultural production encouraged by the
right to form cooperative associations
for marketing their products subject to
regulation by federal authority; the SCI
entitic study of agricultural prices, with
q view to reducing the frequency OF alb
normal fluctuations; the authorization Of
associations for the extension of per-
sonal credit; national inquiry on the
coordination Of rail, water, and motor
transportation with adequate facilities
Tor receiving, handling, and marketing
1000; the encouragement Of our expor.
tFade, and the encouragement OF the
production and importation of fertlliz-
Ing material and of It's extensive use.
The federal farm loan act should be
so administered as to facilitate the ac-
QUESTION of farm land by those desir-
ing to become owners and proprietors,
and thus minimize the evils of farm
tenantry.
Industrial Relations.
There are two different conceptions
OF the relations of capital and labor
Ihe one Is contractual, and emphasizes
the diversity Of interests Of employer
! and employee. The other is that CO.
partnership In common task.
We recognize the justice of collective
bargaining as means Of promoting
good will, establishing closer and more
ers and employees, and realizing the
true ends Of Industrial justice.
The strike or the lockout, as a means
of settling industrial disputes, infiicts
such loss and suffering on the community
as to justify government initiative to
| reduce its frequency and limit its con-
| sequences.
We deny the right to strike against
the government; but the rights and in
terests of all government employees must
be safeguarded by impartial laws and
| tribunals
Public Utilities.
In public utilities we favor the estab-
lishment Of an impartial tribunal to
make an investigation Of the facts and
| to render a decision to the end that
there may be no organized interruption
! OF service necessary to the lives and
health and welfare Of the people. The
| decisions Of the tribunals should be NOR
| ally but not legally binding, and an In
formed public sentiment be relied on to
secure their acceptance The tribunals,
however, should refuse to accept juris-
diction except for the purpose Of in
| vestigatton, as long as the public service
| be interrupted. For public utilities we
favor the type Of tribunal provided for
in the transportation act of 1920.
In private industries we do not advo-
| cate the principle of compulsory arbi-
| tration, but we favor impartial COM
missions and better facilities for volun-
tary mediation, conciliation. and arbi-
tration, supplemented by that full pub
| licity which will enlist the influence Of
| an aroused public opinion. The govern
| ment should take the initiative in invit-
ing the establishment Of tribunals or
commissions for the purpose Of voluntary
| arbitration and Of investigation Of dis
! puted issues.
We demand the exclusion from inter-
state commerce Of the products Of con-
vict labor.
National Economy.
A Republican congress reduced the
estimates submitted by the administra-
ton for the fiscal year 1870 almost three
billion dollars, and for the fiscal year 1874
over billion and quarter dollars. Great
er economies could have been effected
had II not been for the stubborn refusal
of the administration to cooperate with
congress in an economy program. The
universal demand for an executive bud
d, ~ hn Inn Pr
bic fact that leadership and sincere as
sistance on the part Of the executive
department are essential to effective econ
omy and constructive retrenchment.
The Overnan act invested the presi-
dent Of the United States With all the
authority and power necessary to re-
store the federal government to nor
NAL peace basis and to reorganize. re-
trench, and demobiliEe. The dominant
fact is that eighteen months after the
armistice the United States government
Is still on a wartime basis, and the ex-
penditure program Of the executive re-
fleets wartime extravaganza rather than
rigid peace time economy.
Failure to Retreneh.
! AS an example of the failure to re-
trench which has characterized the
postwar policy Of the administration,
we cite the fact that, not including the
war ana navy tuS oA6Cu-
tive departments and other establish
ments at Washington actually record
an increase subsequent to the armistlce
of 21S4 employees. The net decrease
in pay roll costs contained in the 1921
demands submitted by the admtnistra-
tion is only l per cent under that of
1920. The annual expenses of federal
operation can be reduced hundreds of
millions Of dollars without impairing
the efficiency Of the public service.
We pledge ourselves to carefully
planned readjustment to a peace time
basis and to policy of rigid economy,
to the better coordination of depart
mental activities. 90 the elimination of
unnecessary officials and employees.
and to the raising Of the standard of
individual efficiency.
An Executive Budget.
We congratulate the Republican con-
gress on the enactment of a law pro-
viding for the establishment of an
executive budget as a necessary in
like administrator Of the national
finances, and we condemn the veto of the
president which defeated this great
financial reform.
Reorganization of Federal Depart.
ments and Bureaus.
We advocate thorough investiga-
federal departments and bureaus, with
view to securing consolidation,
more buslnesslike distribution of func-
tions, the elimination Of duplication.
delays, and overlapping of work. and
the establishing of an up to date and
efficient administrative organization.
War Powers of the President.
The president clings tenaciously to
his autoeratic wartime powers. His
veto of the resolution declaring peace
and his refusal to sign the bill repeal
ing wartime legislation, no longer
necessary, evidence his determination
not to restore to the nation and to the
states the form of government provided
for by the Constitution. This usurpa-
tion is intolerable and deserves the
severest condemnation.
Taxation.
The burden of taxation imposed upon
the American people is staggering;
but in presenting true statement Of
the situation we must face the fact that |
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