The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-16
NOT INVESTIGATIONS ALONE

NOT INVESTIGATIONS ALONE
There\are other things goins on in Wash
ington tesides senate inquiries into execu.
tive departments. For example, the question
of immigration has been seriously discussed,
and the senate has overwhelmingly rejected
the diplomatic agreement in accordance with
which Japan has been regulating the entry
of her citizens into this country. 1t may
have been that this agreement would have
been ratified if the japanese had not sough.
by pressure of threat to force it through.
Although Senator Lodge, in opposing ratiti-
cation of the agreement, said that by the
action thus made necessary twenty years of
diplomatic progress would be lost, yet there
is no reason why it should be lost. for this
nation has been strictly within its rights,
while the Japanese have ndt, as they them
selves know as well as we. With the
japanese the question does not seem to be
SO much one of national authority as one
involving the question of racial standing.
The japanese demand explicit recognition of
their racial equality. They are the ones
who have made the issue. and not the rest
of the nations. japan has been met on a
plane of national equality That should be
sufficient The. other is a question for the
ages and not for Legislative assemblies to
determine.
The congress also has been diligently con-
sidering the question of taxation, not very
sanely. it is true, but diligently. The house
has passed a tax measure which is better
than the Mellon measure. and the senate is
now considering amendments that will per-
haps be additional Improvement. But even
so. the measure lacks the coordinate proper
lions of a document based solidly on the
principles of taxation as understood by those
who have made science of the subject. The
measure suffers from the fact that it is
being formulated and discussed from the po
litical rather than from the economic view
point In that respect it is not unlike most
measures of great Importance. Even. when
congress receives expert advice, it is apt to
flout it, either through Ignorance or OBJ
obstinacy. Still, the political. influences of
one group serve in a measure to offset the
political influences of another group so that
the extremes that would otherwise prevail
are held somewhat in check.
The soldiers bonus measure is now taking
precedence over taxation. This measure is
inadequate and an obvious compromise be-
tween public duty and political expediency.
The result will be a bonus in name only.
unless some of the amendments now pending
Iii ~ al tba he
senate is seriously considering the bonus.
In addition to the insurance features of the
measure as it passed the house the senate
is considering exceptional feature, permitting
those who desirAsto receive the adjusted COM
pensation in cash instead of in the form 81
insurance. The idea ofsinsurance is due to
a notion of paternalism that is not justified.
Some have argued that if the ex-service men
were given a cash bonus many of them would
squander it, whereas the insurance would be
more permanent. On the same theory the
government ought to pay its employees in
insurance, because otherwise they might
squander cash wages, The present bonus
measure is an evasion.
There is also in Washington an awakening
along the lines of law enforcement. 1t is
realized that this question is no longer one
with which it is safe to daily. 1t is surpris-
ing how. under the spur of the investiga-
lions, the prohibition enforcement bureau
finds effective means of reaching those who
have hitherto been evading the law. Re
Gently Commissioner Haynes has promul-
gated certain regulations that cannot fail to
cut off much violation at its source. Hith-
erto, law enforcement has neglected viola
ton at the source and sought to stop it by
apprehending distributors. AS well might
they try to kill tree by trimming its twigs.
The law enforcement agencies are beginning
to depart from their insincerity and to make
that genuine effort which, as everybody
knows, has been almost deliberately avoided
hitherto. Yes, there are other activities in
Washington besides investigations. In fact,
many of these activities have been stirred to
greater exercise because of the investiga-
tons
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