Evening star., 1924-06-10

the late war. While recognizing the
inestimable debt which the country
owes to those who fought in the
bloody contest in 1917 and 1918, and
for insurance. for the care of the in
jured and the sick, and for their
training and betterment we are ex-
pending an amount which in one
year reached almost $450,000,000,
there was a substantial minority in
Congress who sought to sustain the
President But the bonus act is now
the law of the land. Conditions Gre
ated by il must be met and its provi-
sions must be willingly accepted.
A constitutional amendment has
passed the Senate providing for the
beginning of the terms of the Presi-
dent and of members of Congress
early in the January following the
tainly an incongruity in the present
interval between election and induc-
tion into office. This lengthy period
was based upon conditions existing
means of communication were so linn
tied. Under the law as 1t now stands
it would be possible for an outgoing
administration, prior to the 4th of
March. to prevent or very seriously
impede its successor from accom-
plishing the purposes for which the
people elected it. President Mckin-
ley advocated this change in his in
augural of 1897.
Busfne&s-GOvernme ent Relatfonship.
One urgent reform demanded is
that the President be relieved of part
of his most exacting duties. A con-
stitution of iron can hardly bear up
under the strain imposed upon the
Chief Magistrate. There could be no
more practical step in accomplishing
this than to diminish the demands
upon his time for the settlement Of
questions of patronage. This great
framework of government was not
devised for the dispensation of the
flesh pots of office. The mighty
problems of a nation in its foreign
which must brink veal or woe to
tens of millions, are enough to alb
sorb the attention of any statesman.
Nor is the distracting influence of
department alone. Legislators whose
time could be more profitably en-
ployed in the making Of laws and
establishing policies for the nation
lose much of their time and subject
themselves to constant irritation
from the same source. An extension
of the merit system is urgently
needed, and this is especially true in
view of the enormous increase of
federal employee
In the relation of the economic ac-
tivities of the people to their govern
ment three methods are possible.
Control Of Trusts.
1. The old and now discarded theory
of giving to private initiative free
and untrammeled play, laissez faire,
as it is called.
2. The control and management of
a central government with all the
Incidents of public ownership and
operation. To this there must be a
fatal objection for it would threaten
the rule of bureaucracy, with its
deadeninE influence and Interference
in every home, and the destruction
of that personal initiative which
with restless energy has unclaimed
the wheels of progress and given our
country its foremost position.
3. A third and more rational course
presents itself in sane regulation,
based upon wise Legislation and ad-
ministration, repressing the power Of
great corporations or combinations
Of any type, which else might
self. and with equal care guarding
against the evils Of unrestrained COM
petition.
Let us secure for every individual
portunity and leave to the states and
minor political divisions a broad field
of activity in their proper sphere
Thus we shall avoid an unwieldy
central government in constant dam
ger OF topping over. We shall pre-
vent state boundaries from becoming
mere vanishing traces on the map,
and avoid the dangers of disaster
which have beset many nations
smaller and with problems less COM
pick than our own.
Bloc Tactics Raped.
In every era conditions and facts
of surprising Importance must be
recognized which stand out like
tss moss shs eondtons Today
those created by the war or empha-
sized by it That terrible convuision
left the world disjointed in all it's
activities-social. political and eco
ing effect, and this great struggle,
along with a most splendid exhibi-
tion Of heroism, brought into play
sordfd motives, the Generalization
from which has cast shadows which
come. Again we are in the midst Of
an unparalleled material development
which, beneficial as It is, threatens
lowering of moral and spiritual
standards the true grandeur Of ma
tions.
This is an age Of whirlwind speed,
of luxury and the pursuit Of pleasure
New inventions and fresh diversions
chain attention every hour. In an
there is danger Of lack Of clear
ness Of vision and fairness in tudg-
ment on most Important issues Of
tho day. Indifference In the per-
formance OF public duties rests Hike
a blight upon the body polite In
nothing is the effect of existing con-
ditions more manifest than in disre-
gard of the political obligations Of
the citizen. The proportion Of cleo
tors who take an active interest,
especially in preliminary contests,
was never so small. When such in
differences exists unwholesome forces
poison our public life. A well or
ganized minority is often more pow
erful than that inert mass OF citizens
whose patriotism 10 only aroused In
times Z grave emergency. 10 ths0e
cAHDoO are traceAble the formation 0f
blocs and the vehement assertion Of