Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-23
Morality as a Campaign Issue

cine National fNSpuUllCdH)
Upon the issues of the campaign
John w, Davis, Democratic candi-
date for President, gives forth only
sonorous generalities in his ac-
ceptance speech. The keynote of his
candidacy is the personally pro-
claimed moral superiority of himself
and his party. The low ethical
standards of the administration and
party in power should be superseded
by a virtue so unquestionable and
pervasive that immaculacy will be
guaranteed in every deserving
Democrat upon whom a Democratic
administration may bestow a COM
mission.
Leaving out of account the bad
taste of such an appeal to the
American electorate, it invites some
inquiry into it's justification and
sincerity. The Democratic presi-
dental candidate was identified with
a recent Democratic national ad-
ministration whose record is better
index of actual performance than
may be found in the pious profess
sions of a presidential candidate.
Mr.. Davis says of it that it was an
administration without scandal or
corruption
IL MI. LAWS has 81 SOOIl lOI SUI
ten the revelations of the Graham
investigating committee which prob
ed that administration conduct of
the civil side OF war opera lions, he
has no warrant for the belief that
they have passed from the memory of
the people whose tax contributions
for war purposes were ruthlessly
squandered by the billions. Thou
sands of episodes in that orgy of
waste and worse may reasonably be
rated as scandals. The fifteen hun
dred printed pages of direct evidence
by credible witnesses accessible to
Mr.. Davis and every other American
citizen reveal the blacklist page in
American governmental history.
A billion dollars spent for air
craft and not a fighting plane at the
close of the war! The chief figure in
that tragic fiasco recommended for
court martial by Charles f. Hughes
after an exhaustive official investi-
cation and awarded a medal of honor
instead by the administration "un-
touched by scandal" Another bill
lion spent on artillery, without an
American cannon made during the
war at the fighting front when the
armistice was signed. One hun
dred and fifty million bread cans
and 100000 pairs of shoes bought
for three and half million soldiers,
945,000 saddles. 2,023, 204 nosebags,
100000 sets of double harness and
$4,000 copper tipped branding irons
bought for 391 900 horses and mules
employed in the war! Twenty-one
million dollars worth of harness
bought for motorized ambulances.
Within a few miles of where Candi-
date Davis was speaking a tract of
land for government powder mill
site was bought personally by
government agent for $4,000, sold
by him for $4,000 to a real estate
concern and bought by him again
from that concern for the govern
ment for $146,000! These instances,
typical of thousands that happened
in government undertakings under
the administration NAnd the De-
partment of Justice, with which Mr..
Davis himself was then associated as
an official, failing and refusing to
deter or punish the men who
VIGOROUSLY were footing the federal
Treasury and to that extent menac-
ing the nations prospect of success
in prosecuting the war,
Mr.. Davis has a keen nose for Of
fetal malfeasance, under Re-
publican administration. Did 1t fai!
him when his own party was in
power and he was a sharer of official
responsibility? Did he know that
three members of the Wilson cabinet
had retired from Office to accept
rich retainers from interests with
government claims to prosecute and
government favors to seek? Was he
unfamiliar with the proceedings in
connection with the alien property
custodianship from which favored
lawyers, agents and investors reaped
millions in unearned compensation
and profits? Mr.. Davis was silent
while all this went on. why. there
fore. is he so suddenly and vehe-
nently vocal new? Above all. with
his knowledge Of the facts, why does