South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-06-12
PLATF0Rk N
Republicans Run
AnlncR in Chase
for Principles
and Resort to
SubterfxgeS
BY JOHN HENRY ZUvER.


11.-One can readily understand
why II took the resolutions COM
mittee OF the republican national
convention - hours-plus the
previous efforts of a 10,0OO-dollar
platform contest put on by Ma
tional Chairman Will Hays.-to
prepare for the republican party
its 1920 declaration of principles.
4 perusal OF the I latform is all
that is necessary. Evidently re-
publican principles were nowhere
TO be found. The document
throughout is as egotistically
asinine, void Of perspective. dis
playing an ignorance OF underly-
ing conditions affecting public
questions. and unwlllingness to 20
on record with a definite program.
as was the keynote" speech of
Henry Cabot LOdge-fiat as
pancake.
The foreign relations plank. So
called, isn't the only nonentity. II
quite contents itself with lam
basting the president. No definite
program is outlined for the fu-
ture, either with reference TO the
Versailles treaty, the League of
Nations, Mexico or the Fiji ISL
ands. There is a bit OF sop stored
there for the Irish-and also for
the "drys." Get this on the lat
ter subject, figure out. II you can,
what II means. and when you get
that done perhaps you can tell us
what the rest OF the platform
stands for. Read carefully now:
With regard to the sale
and manufacture OF intOXicat-
eating beverages, the republi-
can party will stand for the
enforcement of the constitu-
tion as il may be declared by
the supreme court"
Enforcement OF the cOnstitu-
ton" ehl How? oh yes, the
republican party will stand for
the enfOrcement;" that is. IT will
permit IL TO be enforced il some
body wants TO enforce 1t. Not a
word about the preservation OF
the Volstead act as enforcement
machinery. yet the committee
must have known that the SUI
preme court had held the Irohibi-
ton amendment valid, making it
the duty Of congress TO define
what intoxicating beverages are.
and to maintain. concurrently
with the states, the machinery OF
enforcement.
The plank is mesnless sop,
thrown out TO the "drys" but
harmless to the "wets''-wOrse
than had the understanding of a
few days ago been kept. Silence
would be golden in comparison
with such hypocrisy.
The Irish plank is equally So
phisticated-and impudent. Dub
lin may consider itself favored,
but ready carefully:
THE republican party de-
sires 20 place on record its
sympathy with ali oppressed
IeopIes. and it's recognition
OF the principle that the peo-
pie of Ireland have the right"
-(see "the principle that tho
Irish people have the right"
and not that they have the
right itself) to determine
freely. without dlctatlon from
outside. their own govern
mental institutions and their
International relations with
other states and peoples"
The Irish will now step up and
vote the republican ticket. the re-
publican party having recognized
the principle" that Ireland has
rights. etc. In other words the
repu DliCans have recognized the
principles with regard 20 Ireland
laid down by Lloyd George, and
not those championed by Eamon
De Valera at all. May their Sim
Fein friends be happy in the en-
joyment OF their sop
For sublimated audacity. how
ever. try this one-one of the
&. o. p. shafts hurled at the
H c. OF L:
we condemn the demo-
cratic administration for fail
ure to impartially enforce the
anti-prOfiteerinE laws enacted
by the republican congress.
Ye godsl What "anti-prof-
iteering laws" do they mean?
When were they enacted? Since
when did a request from the pres
ident to the republican congress
for the passage OF an anti
IrOnteering law make or IL
law Congress. though repeated
~ requested so 10 do by the
president. and by the attorney
general. has never touched the
prohteering or II. c. OF L. prob
lem The only thing the admin
istration has had 10 rely upon has
been the Lever war protiteering
act. which the federal courts hold
has no application TO profiteering
IN commodities not used in the
prosecution OF a war.
Such Misrepresentation how
ever. seems 10 have no terrors for
the republicans in their stress OF
the moment erasping for cam
paign issue and up-stumT for one
that reflects any credit upon
themselves. Run amuck as they
have on the League OF Nations
Issue divided against themselves;