Evening star., 1923-11-07
Politics at Large
BY N. o. MESSENGER

That attack recently issued by the
democratic national committee on the
I civil service record Of the republican
administration, extracts of which
were quoted In these chapters at the
time. certainly did get a rise" out of
the republican national committee.
The onslaught was contained in q
pamphlet and set forth to the extent
OF thfrty-f1ve pages a comparison be-
tween the alleged record Of the Will
son and the Harding administrations
on civil service practices.
In lts comeback" the republican
national committee hits out from the
shoulder. Nothing issued by the
democratic committee equals the
' fsIstena paImpniet IN question as q brazen
ment or the republican committee.
Instead OF giving the record of the
wilson administration in relation to
civil service. II suppresses that rec
orc: IT contains no mention of the
members Of the Civil Service Comn1is-
, SION In 1913 because they refused to
debauch the public service and agree
10 tne public pay rolls being padded
WIN democrats in violation OF civil
/
| < II 4 K
continuing, the republican retort
says: 1T contains no mention Of the
act OF the democratic Congress in
1915 suspending for a period of two
years all civil service regulations and
providing that during that time ap-
pointments could be made to any
government position without any
| restriction or limitation. This act
was taken in order to permit demo-
cratic officials. from President VIII
son down. to add tens of thousands
OF democratic politicians to the gov
eminent pay rolls.
1t makes no mention Of the fact
that President Wilson and William
j. Bryan prostituted ths consular
service Of the United States in order
to fad Jobs for deserving democrats.
1t makes no mention Of the fact that
the stencil Of the scandal in connec-
ton with the administration OF civil
| service law under Wilson's first ad-
ninfstration became so offensive that
| tbe National Civil Service Reform
League asked permission to inspect
| the records of the commission In
J order to ascertain the facts. 1t makes
1 no mention of the fact that Presi-
cent wilson himself refused to grant
this permission"
! After this foreword the republican
| statement "branches out" int gets
| too hot TO hold.
| The democratic national committee
in current statement, charges that
the &c. o. z. offsrs hypocritieul char
ity to Germany as substitute for dem.
ocratic reconstructiotf policy" Alleg-
| Ing that the republicans are likely
to sponsor a plan to offer Germany
charitable gift Of 10000. 900 bushels
OF wheat, the committee asserts: .'It
is apparent that, under the guise OF
philanthropy to the German people,
! the republican administration is
ITS responsibility for the serious dis
tress among American producers.
The republican administration is
pretty late with the suggestions for
a greater measure Of moral and Geo.
| nomic cooperation with Germany
statement. The democrats nearly
three years ago offered q program
| that II adopted would have insured
the rehabilitation Of Germany and the
1
program contemplated a prompt peace
! and speedy restoration OF reciprocal
| trade between the United States and
| all OF Europe. 1t was scorned and
| rejected by the republican leaders and
| in Its place was substituted policy
| OF isolation economic, social and
| moral"
Then. warming to the subject. the
l ri - 40
THE consequences Of this refusal to
let the United States take a helpful
part in European reconstruction are
now manifest. They are to be seen in
| the dwindling of American foreign
trade. compared with 1920: in the de-
cline Of American shipping. in the
/ larger competition being met By
American exporters; In the Industrial
| and commercial stagnation at home
| and. above all, in the deplorabIe CON
! dition OF thousands of American
| farms.
| Having caused all this disa ster
| and incurred a grave Responsibility,
| the republican leaders are now trying
| to cover their sin of injustice to the
American people. including the Ameri.
| charity to Germany"
| X =
The democratic national committee
asserts that investigation into the
| farmers cost of living, just made By
| the Department Of Agriculture in Liy.
| ingstone county, n. Y, regarded as
| typical of modern successful farm.
| ing, reveals that the average expendi.
| ture of the 402 agricultural families
| studied was s2.o12 year and thai
s277 went for clothing alone.
Taking this as a text for q drive al
the republican tariff law. the commit.
, hardware and numerous other com.
moditieS which the farmer cannot
produce and must buy rs collected
from him by the special interests foI
which the Fordney- -MoCumber Law
| was enacted" 1t gives the alleged
rate of protection on every dollars
worth of commodities, which it con-
tends ranges from 81 cents on cot
ton goods to 1S2 cents on cutlery. and
adds, There Is a good deal of re.
farmers pays for the clothes he and
his family must wear"
1 x X x X
Gov. Pinchot Is swinging Into his
stride in attempts to enforce the pro-
hibition law in Pennsylvania with a
vim. He has been the subject Of a
good deal of "ragging" since the 1900
Philadelphia saloonkeepers defied him
so openly and since President Coolidge's
lsharp adInonition that the states mus,
do their duty In law enforcement and
not leave It all to be done by the federal
government.
i The governor secured temporary
Injunction this week against the
| sailing of unlInr by a POttSyille saloon