New-York tribune., 1920-10-29

to advance or protect the interests of
the state And If we believe in the
1ule of the ma jorty, as we do in this
country, we must recognize our party
SYSTEM as an effective way by which
each Of the two great groups can
present its views and policies to the
electorate and then accept the vote of
the majority as the determination for
the time of the will of the whole
Political parties afford means for
changing the government, while we
leave the full functions Of the state
unImpaired. The state goes on, al
though the government frequently
changes. This ever-recurring contest
between political parties is, therefore,
fcrcible revolution.
Defeat of officials No Disgrace
"1n neither France nor in England
IS the Prime Minister assured of a
fixed term. He is not only the leader
but the instrument Of his Parliament,
and when he fails to carry his Parlia-
ment he must appeal to the country,
and, failing to carry the country, he
must retire. Nor is there necessarily
any disgrace involved in a man ceasing
to retain the confidence OF a great DEM
ocratic people. A party goes into Office
to carry out a program However wise
~ 1t may handle affairs, it generally
disappoints it's own supporters. How
ever high its purpose, its very contin-
ulty IN Office is most likely to ado con-
stantly to its enemies
For one reason or another even a
wisely led political party, given long
enough tenure OF Office. finally fails to
express any longer the will of the peo-
pie, and when it does so fail to ex-
of
to be an effective instrument of gov
ernment. 1t is far better for such a
poiitica party and certainly better for
the state that it should be relegated
10 the role OF the critic and that the
opposing political party should assume
the reins of government. This condi-
ton appears to have arrived in America
Two years ago the people chose a
Republican Congress in the face of
direct request from the President Of
the United States to elect Congressman
of his own party as an Endorsement
OF his past measures and the measures
which ne then publicly proposed. Not
withstanding that vote, the Pres ident
continued in Office. as he must under
our system 1t may we'll be urged that
such vote should have made him more
soilcltous TO carry out the viii of the
American people. should have made him
curious as to the fundamental reasons
which underlav that vote of the people.
Such has not been the case
Next Tuesday. for the first time in
four years. the acts of the present Ad-
minstration come before the ncople
of the United States The issue next
Tuesday is, Shall We 1r shall We not
change our government? a vote for
Senator Harding is vote to retire the
pemocratlc party and to place the Re
publican party IN power a vote
against Senator Harding is vote to
continue the Democratic party in
power The election of Senator Har-
ding Will mean that the American peo-
pie prefer to have the Republican party
no longer act in the role of critic, but
to assume the responsibility of con
ductin2 the government which they
have criticized. L viii mean that they
prefer no longer to have the govern
ment conducted by the Democratic
party, but to have that party retired
to the role Of critics and 20 criticize
the Republican party in the conduct
OF the government.
Retirement of Democrats the Issue
ut is very easy to say that he issue
of this campaign is lack of preparation
for war and for peace. the undue ex-
rense Of running the government, q
bungling policy with reference to the
development OF our shipping 4 fruit
less negotiation with reference to the
settlement OF the war, mistaken
course with reference to the method
of attaining d durable peace, a return
to the peace function of the Constitu-
tlon. No single one of these things
is the issue in this election. The one
great issue in this election is. Shall
the Democratic party be retired from
the administration of the government
of the United States and shall the Re
publican party be intrusted with the
administration OF that government?
am here this evening TO suggest why
think the Democratic party should be
retired and the Republican partv in
stalled.
During the last four years this
country has gone through a most un-
usual experience. A great war has been
fought. In the prosecution of that war
all the habits OF peace loving people
have been set aside. Numerous liber-
tee which are sacred in times of peace
have been surrendered to the govern
ment IN order that the war might be
prosecuted efficiently; numerous ac-
tivitics which have heretofore been
carried on by individuals have been
surrendered to the government; meth
DDS of espionage have been established
which a free people never would toler-
ate except when the life Of the nation
was in peril
Almost two years have passed since
the military power of Prussia was
hopelcssly broken. and yet many Of
these restrictions of government con
tinue. Hundreds of thousands Of peo-
pie are still withdrawn from the or
dinary activities of life In order to per-
form the offices of government in the
emergency which no longer exists. Can
the Republican party or the Democratic
party best restore this country to a peace
basis? Can the Republican party or the
Democratic party most quickly reduce
the unnecessary employees in Washing
ton? Can the Republican party or the
Democratic party most surely be relied
upon to abolish all unnecessary es-
pionage?
"Can there be any doubt about the
answer to those questions? Does not
all human eXparience teach us that
those who have gradually seized new
powers, that those who have built up
additional functions of government,
are most reluctant to relinQuish the
now powers, most fearful about aban-
donlng the new functions. 1t is not
necessary to attribute wrong motives
to those who shrink from discharging
employees. Extra employees have been
needed in an emergency. Those actively
engaged In the work are slow to sec
that the emergency has ceased
Shipping Policy Great Problem
One OF the Pregt nroblemS hef