Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-06-15

that are being made to the COMMITTEES
on immigration, many industries are at
this time crippled because of their ina
bility to employ sufficient labor, and
building operations and municipal pub
lie works are suffering In nearly every
section of the country. 1t is asserted
that there is not only shortage o. la
Dor, but that the available supply of
labor has been slowed down since the
world war. Thus far the committee
on immigration has not indicated
whether it will give serious considera-
ton TO the demand that it shall be
made easier for illiterate laborers to
come in.
In connection with the proposed re-
vision of the immigration law, the
house committee has been asked to
give consideration TO plan, which had
IFS origin in New York, for the crea-
ton of national board of assimila-
ton. This board would be charged
with ''the duty of co-ordinating all ex-
listing governmental activities relating
to immigration, of facilitating the safe
and expeditions distribution of immi-
grants arriving here TO their several
destinations, of supplying them with
information and assistance in respect
TO securing employment in those indus
tries for which they are best adapted,
of affording them instruction In the
English language and in the history,
customs and institutions of our coun-
try, Of protecting them against fraud,
extortion and exploitation, of making
them feel that they are not strangers
in a strange land and of providing for
cooperation by the several branches
Of the federal, state and municipal
governments"
Erecting the Platforms.
The platform makers in the pO-
litical parties are now busy. Or
course the platform of each pO-
litical party will be actually put to-
gether by the committee on resolutions
Of its national convention, but 1t is
important for the leaders to know
fairly well in advance what the plat
form is to contain. The Republicans
are following a new plan this year in
getting up their platform. Last Janu-
airy, 1t will be recalled, the chairman
of their national committee, VIII H.
Hays, created a committee on plat
form suggestions made up of more
than $50 men and women representing
the various shades of opinion in the
party. This committee was divided
into subcommittee, each subcommit-
tee with a chairman.
The next step of the committee on
platform suggestions was to send out
a QUESTIONABLE to influential members
of the party. The questions embraced
a large range of subjects. These ques-
tiOnnaires brought in a large fund of
information and the chairmen of the
subcommittee are now sitting this in
formation. AT meeting here the
other day they decided to take the
boiled down facts brought out by the
queStiOnnaires and from them frame
recommendations to the convention
committee on resolutions. OF course
the convention committee Is under no
obligation to follow the recommended
tons of the committee on platform.
but it IS generally assumed that on a
good many of the topics of the day 1t
gestions of this committee as basis
for pla tform planks.
Topics That Were Avoided.
The national committee of the Re-
publican party deemed it advisable to
have the committee on platform Sug-
gestiOnS stay away from a few topics,
among them all matters relating to in
ternational affairs, and this includes
the treaty of peace and the League of
Nations; the tariff, the prohibition
question, and the arraignment of the
Democratic administration. At recent
conferences here substantial agree
ment was reached as to the wording
of the planks that will deal with the
treaty and the League of Nations and
the prohibition legislation. If this
agreement stands, the platform will
first Of all condemn President Wilson
for his handling Of the treaty and will
then in general terms indorse the ac-
ton of the senate in refusing to ratify
the treaty without reservations Amer
icanizing it.
In handling the subject of prohibit
ton it was the thought of the men
who attended these conferences that
~, hc ha 40 70
the federal prohibition amendment or
the legislation by congress under
which the amendment is enforced, but
instead declaration in favor of law
enforcement. In support of this plan
it is argued that nationwide prohibit
ton is a fact legally speaking, and
that there is no occasion for the party
to say that it favOrs or opposes prOhi-
bitiOn in it's present form. The Anti
Saloon league, it is asserted, has indi-
Gated that general declaration In
favor Cf law enforcement is all 1t will
ask for
Planks for the Democrats.
The Democrats have no committee
Ol SuSSCotiOiiS at NOlh, Out
the chairman of their national commit
tee. Homer Cummings, and other men
connected with the national Organiza-
ton have recently been putting In a
good deal of time on the platform. 1t
is generally assumed that President
Wilson will write the more important
planks He has already written in
spirit at least the plank dealing with
the treaty of peace and the League of
Nations. In his recent letter to an
Oregon Democratic committeeman he
insisted that the party must stand by
the treaty and the League of Nations
covenant He did not go so far as Ia
say that the platform declaration must
say that there shall be no reservations.
but he did say that it must not len1
Its approval to destructive reserva-
tons. 1t is generally agreed that III
its political convention neither party