Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-07-03

the medium Of which compensation of
men and women injured in service is
readily adjusted. and hospital facili-
ties for those whose health Is I'M
paired are abundantfy afforded.
The Federal Board for Vocational
Education should be made part or
the War Risk Insurance Bureau in Or
der that the task may be treated as o
whole, an dthis machinery of protec-
ton and assistance must receive every
aid of law and appropriation neces-
sary to full and effective operation.
We believe that no higher or more
valued privilege can be afforded to
an American citizen than to become
a free holder in the soil of the United
States, and to that end we pledge our
party to the enactment of soldier set
Elements and home aid legislation
which will afford to the men who
fought for America the opportunity
to become land and home owners I'M
der conditions affording genuine gov
eminent assistance unencumbered by
needless difficulties of red tape or ad.
vance financial investment.
The Railroads
The railroads were subjected to fed
eral control as a war measure without
other idea than the swift transport OF
troops, munitions and supplies. When
human life and national hopes were
at stake profits could not be considered
and were not. Federal operation, how
ever, was marked by an intelligence
and efficiency that mirimized loss and
xoI ;,, VII
The equipment taken over was not only
grossly inadequate but shamefully
outworn. Unification practices over
came these initial handicaps and pro-
vided additions, betterments and i'm
provements. Economies enabled oper-
alton without the rate raises that pri-
vate control would have found neces-
sary and labor was treated with an
exact justice that secured the enthus-
iastic cooperation that victory de-
handed The fundamental purpose of
federal control was achieved fully and
splendidly and at far less cost to the
tax payer than would have been the
case under private ownership. In
vestments in railroad properties were
not only saved by government oyera-
ton, but government management re-
turned these properties vastly improv-
ed in every physical and executive
detail a great task was greatly dis
charged.
The Presidents recommendation of
return to private ownership gave the
Republican majority a full year in
which to enact the necessary legisla-
tinn ha
formulate its ideas and another six
months was consumed by the Repub-
lIcan Senate in equally vague debate
AS consequence the ESch-Cummins
bill went to the President in the clos
ing hours of Congress- and he was
forced to choice between the chaos
of veto and acquiescenre in the
measure submitted. however grave
may have been his objections to it,
There should be fair and complete
test of the law until careful and ma
ture action by Congress may cure its
defects and insure thoroughly eff
fective transportation system under
private ownership without government
subsidy at the expense of the tax pay
ers of the country .
Improved Highways
Improved roads are of vital import
ancc, not only TO commerce and in
duStry, but also to agriculture and
rural life.
We favor a continuance of the
present Federal aid plan under ex-
listing Federal and State agencies.
1nasmuch as the postal service has
been extended by the Democratic
party to the door of practically every
producer and every consumer in the
country (rural free delivery alone
having been provided for six millions
additional patrons within the past
eight years without material added
cost, we declare that this instru-,
mentality can and will be used to the
maximum of its capacity to improve
the efficiency of distribution and re-
duce the cost of living to consumes
while increasing the profitable opera
tons of producers.
Merchant Marine
We desire to congratulate the
American people upon the rebirth of
nr<aI,