Evening star., 1922-10-11
POLITICAL REFORM
VETERANS UNITE
Urge Independent Voters to
Back Principles of
"Freedom."
FOES OF SHIP SUBSIDY
Tariff Also Assailed by Residue Of
young Scratchers" of 1879 and
Mugwumps of 1854.
FOES OF SHIP SUBSIDY

Veterans of political reform cam
paigns dating back to SO. have organ
lied. not with the intention of forming
balance of power. or Independent vote
to elect representatives Of their princi-
pies of freedom
They have issued an appeal for free
DOM" the first three signers Of which.
r. r. Bowke-, Arthur w. Milbury and
George Haven Putnam. are survivors Of
the New York committee of the Young
Scratchers'' Of 1879. and other sigma
lures are those Of leaders of the mug
wump movement in 1884. and later. As
a basis for their appeal they say:
I've recall that our ancestors In the
mother country wrested Magma Charta
from the king: that our forefathers By
the Declaration Of Independence. and
through the revolution, won our liberty
and thus helped our ally. France. TO
free herself from tyranny: that our
fathers fought the war for the Union in
defense of human freedom. and that our
brothers in the world war laid down
their lives in the great hope to make
the world safe for a free democracy,
and to win freedom for the peoples
then our enemies. We recognize that
drHins the war liberty at home was
~ a+Sarily curtailed. but we lament
Il the restrictions Of freedom due to
w"r have not been remedied in time OF
peace.
Claim True Americnnism.
Expressing the belief that large
numbers of our fellow citizens In
all parties are of like mind" they
! tive of true Americanism" as follows:
Freedom of thought. speech. press
and person. SO far as such freedom
is not misused to violate the rights
of others or to incite to violence
! the open door for war prisoners.
durance since the war. and the re-
| moval in time of peace of all re-
strictions incident to war.
Freedom of every citizen to serve
his country in governmental posi-
tions. through a well and honestly
administered merit system. without
| distinction of party except in policy
determining posts. with permanent
tenure for those who do their work
well and prompt removal of those
! who do not: and retirement insurance
after years of proven service.
Freedom of Labor.
Freedom Of labor. in union or in
open shops, protected against tyranny
without or within, and the right to
cease work. without intimidation or
violence. and with due regard to
the public welfare and to private
rights. in protest against wages or
working conditions inadequate for
right living.
Freedom of trade from tariff and
other legislative interference. which.
by increasing prices under cover of
protecting Industries. makes the rich
richer and the poor poorer. which
checks the export sale of our farm
q nd fa 81 IL, ~ Ia &c
of the world by burdening imports
and thus preventing the exchange of
what we can produce to best advan-
tage for what other nations can best
produce for US, and which deny to
our ships the cargoes without which
they must lie useless in our ports.
Freedom of shipping from govern
mental complications which prevent
competition with other nations. and
in turn overload the American tax
payer with subsidies which rob Peter
and enrich Paul: and the reform OF
now maroon homebound Americans
In our island possessions and limit
their return passage exclusively to
American ships.
Self-Rule for Dependencies.
Freedom of our dependencies as soo.i
as enlightened and prudent self-govern-
ment can be reasonably assured, with
pendence that their Inhabitants may re-
joice in the liberty which our fore
| fathers won for US"
The appeal for freedom emphasizes
the importance Of letters Of inquiry by
individual voters addressed to candi-
| dates of all parties. Action in the pres
, ent congressional campaign is urged.
and especially as serving notice to polit-
,cal parties with reference to the more
important national election in 1924. The
appeal is made to all voters of all par
| ties and all classes in behalf Of free
democracy and q true republic"