East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1920-06-28

Truman Newberry. OF Michigan.
The very power Of the republican
party to conduct a partisan investiga-
ton of the war, to criticize the presi-
dent, to control the organization OF
the senate and to wreck the prospects
of world peace, rests upon a bare ma
ljority of one. secured through the
tainted senatorial vote from Miehi-
gan"
Cummings then referred to the re-
cent investigation of the primary elec-
ton campaigns.
"The republican party" he said.
"beoame so fixed in its incorrigible
habit of conducting Investigations
that it finally turned to the fruitful
task of investigating itself. For the
first time since they entered upon
this program they discovered fraud
and graft and gross and inexcusable
expenditures. The revelations dis
close the fact that the meet
| ing at Chicago was not a convention
but an auction. The highest bidder.
however. did not get this prize. The
publicity that overlook the proceed
ings frustrated the initial purpose
Cummings referred to those who
complain at the great money cost OF
the war as ''pitifully cramped in soul"
Regarding preparedness. he said
that in a strict literary sense a democ-
racy is never prepared for war but
that america was made ready in a
way that was far more effective han
by maintaining at enormous costs
great araments which neither party
ever advocated and which our people
would never approve
Cummings did not refer to the IL
quor issue.
He referred to the Irish problem
only incidentally. During a discus
sion of the republican platform nc
said: 'It contains no message Of
hope for Ireland"
The republican platform. reaction
airy and provinciaI," he said, "is the
very apotheosis of political expedi-
ency. Filled with premeditated
slanders and vague promises. il will
be searched in vain for one construc-
tive suggestion for the reformation of
the conditions which it criticises and
deplores. The oppressed peoples of
the earth will look to it in vain. 1t
contains no message of hope for Ire
land: no word of mercy for Armenia;
and it conceals a sword for Mexico.
1H6 uSIlpCTdilC party. ne Sdlo. ue-
fore the outbreak of the war enact
ed more effective, constructive and
legislation than the repubIi-
can party had enacted in a genera
tion.''
The income tax. he said, relieved
the law of the reproach of being un-
justly burdensome to the poor; a non
partisan tariff commission. he said.
win provide scientific revision of the
tariff hereafter. Pan-Americanism
was encouraged: Alaska was opened
to commerce and development; dollar
was destroyed. according
to Cummings; corrupt lobby driven
from the national capitol; an effective
seamen's act adopted; the federal
trade commission created, child labor
legislation enacted; parcel post de-
a secretary of labor seated in
the cabinet; eight hour laws adopted.
labor was removed from the category
of commodities by the Clayton amend
ent; corrupt practice act adopted and
the federal reserve system ests blished
IF the democratic party had accom-
plished nothing more than the pas
sage of the federal reserve act. Il
would be entitled to te enduring graft
tude of the nation" Cummings said
Panics, he said. ARE now but mem
ory."
Under the republican system there