New Britain herald., 1924-01-04
JOHNSON ASSAILS
 PRESENT POLICIES
His Opening Speech Not ESpe-
 Cialy Constructive
By The Associated Press.

attack on the republican national committee for its action in increasing southern delegate representation to the national convention. q big gun . bombardment against the admins tration for supplying arms and am munition to the Obregon forces in Mexico and d thrown gauntlet to the Ohio republican state central com mittee which endorsed President Coolidge for the republican nomina- tion, marked the opening address of of Senator Hiram Johnson. of Cali fornia, in his campaign for the presi- dential nomination her last night.s
 Senator Johnson also mads q frontal attack on the foreign policy of the administration. reiterated his Chicago speech insofar as it re- ferred to his unqualified fayoring a soldiers bonus. cautioned the people 10 look carefully into the Mellon taxation plan. although ad yocating a reduction in taxes in no uncertain terms, advocated help for the farmers by the lowering of freight rates and cooperative socie- ties and finished with a scathing ar raignment of those who would have the country join the world court
 '1 have recently observed that certain people, including the distin- guished Detroit manufacturer. have deplored that we should have an election this year." said Senator Johnson, and perhaps at all; and many politicians denounces me be- cause I have interfered with the
 
 not permitted their plans for a nomination by default to be con summated. l shall not concede that collectors of revenue, United States marshals. postmasters and other of- five holders may themselves alone nominate candidates for the presi- dency.
 The leaders upon the other side i have demonstrated by their recent l actions their contempt for the men | and women who in reality consti- l tute the republican party. Our op- 1 ponents do not believe in direct pri- l maries and direct legislation. l in- sist that the republicans in Ohio l shall have an equal right in deter 1 mining the nominee for president with the republicans in South Car 1, olina. Obviously our opponents do not so believe.
 Just as pollution at the source Of i the stream will pollute the whole ! stream, wrong and injustice in the se- lection of delegates to a national con- | yention will pcrmeate and taint the | very convention itself" l
 Senator Johnson then reviewed the i action Of the 1920 republican conven- ton in reducing the southern deloga- ton and said it was "a step in the right direction" as if is a basis for further reductions, He then told Of tho recent action of the national com mittcc in Washington under the or. | dor of our opponents" in again giving them the original representation and termed it iscandalous and unfair rep- rtsentation.
 The California senator then opened up hts guns on th administration's foreign policy. Tt may be that we do mol know our foreign policy because we have nonc, but even the fact that we have none. the American people have the right to know" said the scn- ator. He said that the recent message Of the president said eve attend to our own affairs" but in deeds we attend not only to the affairs Of our neighbor- ing nation, but to the nations of Europe. He said the message held out a welcoming hand to Russia, but through the sccrtary of state, the ad- ministration turns ifs back on Russia. "A foreign policy" said the senator, ssstz .. a closed incident and then attempts to take us into part Of that league con- stituees record Of foreign policy which needs the obscuring screen of . tax reduction scheme"
 The senator then went into the tax stion problem. There can be no po- litical issue on reduction Of taxes" he id. Everybody would reduce the ex- penditures Of government to the least possible sum and collect from the peo- pie only that sum. No one believes in high taxation" n
 He then said that there was sur plus of ss50,0oo.0O0 on hand and that we should reduce just as much as pos sible.
 We have never in this country had anything like the propaganda We now have in behalf of the so-called Mellon plan" said the senator. Tt was propaganda most carefully prepared and stimulated. Under the Mellon plan the men who pay on s250.000 will save S49,000 a year: he who pays un s3g0,00 will save sg3. 1000. those who have incomes Of $500. OO0 will save s1I7, ,000: the fortunate one who has an income Of a million will save s252.- GOO and the few who pay on s5.000.- O09 will save s1.3Sa.ppe.
 "Nho Is it that is indulgiug in this propa ga nda2 Do you imagine fl is the man who by q reduction wiH save siG or ss0 or $50 or s1on. or do you think it the individual who wiii save in tine thousands?
 T would moi have sou misunder- stand me at ail. would reduce the taxes of the people whenever II Is pos sibse ,o do so. and keep faith at the sain. time.
 II would B scrupulousiy just Co m,ti of large incomes and of big busi- ness. but ! recognize that men of