Evening star., 1924-09-07
SEVEN BASIC FARMER RELIEF Z
POLICIES OUTLINED BY DAVIS
Offers Definite Remedies, He Claims, Against
Vague, Euasiue Program Proposal BY
Gen. Dntpes. So.

review, all zeal Win interests vital
to agriculture. No person biased OF
ticular class or interest should be
permitted to sit on any Of these
bodies. Personal honesty alone is
not sufficient qualification. Intel
ligence and impartiality and cour-
age are equally demanded.
Equally important to the farmer
are the Department OF Justice and
the Federal Trade Commission 1t is
to an able and aggressive Attorney
General and an active and alert Fed
eral Trade Commission that the pub
lie must look for protection and de-
fense.
Choosing Fit Men
According to my view, tho re-
sponsibility for providing such an ad-
rests upon the shoulders
of him who Is chosen to be the Pres
ident of the United States He may
share with others the burdens of the
task: his responsibility he cannot
divide. 1t is his business to select
mt men for Office, and when mistak es
in selection are made to be prompt
in their correction. He need not wait
for congressional committees or
grand juries to point them out. nor
y
escape responsibility on the plea OF
general good character or fair in
tent. 1t is his business to give the
people government honest all the
way through. If such is the wish
OF the American people, i shall not
sock to escape the duty or ayoid the
responsibility for it's performance"
Plight Of Farmer
Reviewing the plight of the farmer
and the contributing causes. Mr..
Davis said the chief complaint of ag-
rlculture today Is that ii no longer
enjoys economic equality with in
dustry and commerce. Placing the
blame for this condition on the Re
publican party. the Democratic NOM
NEE declared it was Ignorant or in
sincere to cry out against the farm
bloc i'll Congress as If it were a new
thing.
Each succeeding Republican ad-
has been a government
by an industrial bloc" he asserted,
adding that the attempt Of agricul-
'ure to get fair hearing in Congress
explained the insurgent movement in
the Republican party in 1910 and
1917. and also the wide breach in
that party today"
iiihS tuen into a denunCia-
tlon OF the Oppressive" Fordney-M
Cumber tariff bill, Mr.. Davis charged
the Republicans with having sought
10 delude the farmer with a false
pretense of benefits to flow from tar
ms on his products. When the price
OF wheat and corn fell after the en-
actnent OF that law, the speaker con-
llhued the promised relief was seen
10 De pure political fiction.
Tariff on Wheat.
The action of President Coolidge in
approving an increase in the tariff on
" nedt vas characterized as IAN addi-
-lonai sop to the farmer.
Pointing out that the price of wheat
had fallen after this tariff increase
VT Davis said that surely "the day
"hen the farmer can be lulled to rest
'S a nominal tariff on the commodi-
les OF "hlch he has surplus to sell
anroad is passed forever"
ne same economic blindness has
afected the foreign policies of the
republican party the speaker
went on.
When the war was over it sbou1d
nave been clear to every one that
the first duty which the Government
oi the tnlted States was called upon
pe'i"iL ~ was 10 assist In the
prompt and permanent restoration of
lhose nations who were our chief
customers. Instead Of that we chose,
under Republican guidance, to shut
'ur eyes to the needs of Europe and
our own best interests, to- declare for
/ policy of isolation and leave tho
nations exhausted by the war to
make their own way out of their
Question Of Reparatfons.
AT the bottom of the European
problem lies, and has lain ever since
the armistice, the question Of rep
tratlons. In 1919 President Wilson
as ked permission of Congress to ap-
)olnt an American representative on
ne reparation commission. In a spirit
IF partisan jealousy it was denied
and for five years, so far as we
we're concerned. we left that question
10 bedevil the economic life OF Eli
'ope and delay the hour when Ger
many and the other defeated nations
might be restored to health and be
aole once more to contribute to the
economic prosperity of the world.
Today we hear from those most
'esponsiofe for this state of affairs
oud praise and decentralization
Il
'ated in the recent reparations con-
ference that brought forth the so
'aifed Dawes report. That report is
wen claimed as a diplomatic victory
or an administration that time and
line again disclaimed in most posi-
i've terms all responsibility for the
presence of Gen. Dawes and his coll
eagues or any participation in the
of their report.
Favors Dawes Report.
Il have no desire to decry that re-
port, and l have every wish that II
may prove a step along the way. I
am not even disposed to debate with
those who talk as if it were the end
Of the journey instead of merely the
irst milestone. But / resent the be-
ated attempt to capitalize it's possi-
oilities as political asset.
IF Americans have, in fact, by
their unofficial presence, accomplish
I'd or aided in this result, it laws a
burden of blame and re-
'ponsibility on the shoulders of those
who for five long years prevented
any form of American participation" :"
Adverting to Mr.. Dawes recent
declaration at Lincoln that the ques-
ton Of the farmers welfare is "a
nonpartisan and economic question" !"
Mr.. Davis said "the same thing might
De said in the same bland terms OF
the tariff, of taxation, of railroads,
Of foreign policy and practically
every other problem that affects the
welfare of the American people.
Purpose OF Parties.
'1f we eliminate from political de-
bate" Mr.. Davis added, every aues-
ton that Is either national in it's
scope or economic in it's character,
and especially every question that is
to the party in power,
we will reach that millennium when
government through political parties
will cease to exist The very pur-
pose of political parties is to frame
policies. and to propose and execute
thereon all great questions that are
national in their scope. Political
ma rfiaS that ho oaoeo1