The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-06-01
BRYAN FORECASTS
PARTY PLATFORM
CONSIDERATIONS
Predicts Vote in Primaries
Will Defeat Attempt in Con-
vention to Make Treaty Is
sue in Campaign.
BY WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.

BY WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.
Copyright, 1920, by the Wheeler Syn
dictate, Inc)
No one Is in position to announce in
advance the subjects that will be treat
ed in the Democratic platform to be
written at San Francisco, but l ven
l5ture to submit an outline, with the rea-
= sons that lead me to believe that the
subjects mentioned Will receive consid-
Grafton.
First-The national administration
will be Endorsed and the splendid econ
; omic reforms secured will be enumer-
ated and emphasized. They constitute
zfan unparalleled record of accomplish
ment The conduct of the war will be
praised. Mistakes, of course, were
made, but they were overshadoWed by
colossal achievements that astounded
Europe, and even astonished ourselves.
Second-The treaty will present an
issue. The party stood together in Ia
vor of ratification without reservation,
as Ions as that seemed possible. When
it was demonstrated that ratltleatien
without reservations was Impossible,
The Democratic senators divided into
two groups-the members Of one group,
% In number, more interested in the
treaty and the league Of nations than
In the phraseology Of the reservations,
Joined with g Republicans to secure
Democrats, preferring defeat OF the
treaty and the league Of nations to &C
ceptance of the proposed reservations,
Joined II irreconcilable foes Of the
treaty to prevent ratification. unless
a compromise is reached before June
rs, the convention will endorse the
course pursued by the %, or the course
pursued by the 20. The overwhelming
opposition to the policy Of ratification
without reservations, as shown by the
vote at the primaries, will probably
defeat any effort to make the treaty
an issue in the campaign. An easy
way out is to pledge the party to an
amendment to the constitution provd-
ing for ratification of treaties by ma
jority vote, The Republicans would
undoubtedly support such an amend
ment, and both parties accepting it, the
senate could ratify the treaty with res
ervations already agree upon, and take
il out of the campaign.
Senate Cloture Rule.
Third-In this connection, it is like
ly that the convention will declare in
favor of a cloture rule in the senate
enabling majority to close debate and
proceed to a vote. 1t was a platform
declaration by the Democratic conven
ton of 1908, that put an end to Can
~nonism in the house of representatives,
and it is time to take another step
toward Democracy.
Fourth-The convention is quite sure
to declare against universal compul-
sorry military training. The Democratic
a vote of 100 to II, and a poll Of the
senate showed nearly as large a per-
centage of the Democrats of that body
against it, The demand for economy,
growing more and more insistent,
strengthens the opposition to the ex
penditure of seven hundred millions a
year in preparations for war, while the
peace sentiment of the country revolts
against a system based on the theory
that war Is a necessary part of civiliz-
alton.
Fifth-The profiteer will receive par
ticular attention, especially If the is
sue is accumulated by failure of the
Republicans to deal with the question
the peoples side against the middle
men, and the Democratic party is in a
better position than the Republican
party to do so because the latter con-
tains most of the profiteers.
The following remedies, increasing
in severity, have been suggested: A
trade commission in each state and in
each community, disclosure Of profit on
each article sold, and Limitation of prof
It's, as in the case of interest on loans.
In connection with the subject of prof
iteering the convention is likely to ia
vor a tax on the war-profit million
aires to provide a bonus for service
men, 1t is only fair that those who
grew rich out Of the war should do
justice to the men who took the risks
of service.
Private Monopoly.
Sixth-The convention will have to
deal with the subject of private monop-
oily. 1t is the most permanent domes-
tic issue and the beneficiaries of all
the favor-seeking corporations are mas
sing under Republican leadership to
oppose government ownership in any
and every FORM. The Democratic party
must ultimately become the champion
of government ownership of all natural
mon0polies. but the corporation CON
trolled press has so grossbly misrepre-
sented the experience of the govern
ment under war control that the op-
ponehts OF private monopoly may have
to content themselves with holding the
ground already occupied leaving the
advance to be made by future conven-
lions. But the Democratic convention
will at least reiterate the doctrine al
ready embodied in four national plat
forms, namely, that a private monop-
oily is indefensible and intolerable.
Seventh-The labor question will re-
ceve the attention due it. The Demo-
cratic party will insist upon the toll
er's right to equal treatment. He is
not only citizen but he is an indis-
>penSible part of our industrial machine
He should be willing worker if he