Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-06-20
BEHIND
THE NEWS
BY Paul
Malon

WASHINGTON, June 20
w dear Mr.. -: tmem-
her of Republican convention
platform committee):
You asked me what / would
do If l were a member OF the
Republican platform committee.
Frankly, l think the time for
old-fashioned generaiities N
platform making is over.
Generally a platform is for
gotten as soon as written. This
is because il usually is COM
posite accumulation of appeals
10 as many viewpoints as pos
sible. and, therefore, loses any
forceful character.
I would write simple,
straightforward doctrine With
out eouivocation. My sugges-
tons would run something like
this:
INTERNATIONAL policy:
i I would promise a sincere
effort to cooperate 10 the ut
most with foreign nations IN
maintaining Christian principles
of Justice for all peoples. / would
not pretend / had a sure-hre
way TO accomplish this.
l would advocate a formula
based on democratic principles
and seek unity which would take
the foreign affairs issue out OF
politics as much as possible.
The formula which is being
evolved both by the administra-
ton and Republican leaders. OF
a top council of nations with a
secondary assembly and world
court. is a democratic formula.
But to bring peace 10 the world,
il must be operated in a demo-
cratic way of give and take,
with divided authority just as
the President, Congress and Su-
preme Court in this country
function, with individual author
ity and conference.
On the issues of air traffic,
money, trade, etc, / do not be-
lieve any one can lay down a
formula. only set OF basic
principles. Obviously, tn e
agreements must be reached by
negotiation which also will in
volve give and take.
would warn and qua d
against any ultra idealistic
theories and doctrines such as
world states, world wage-hour
theories, a quart of milk a day.
etc. and follow course Of
realism toward our Allies, Brit
ain, Russia and China.
NATIONAL policy:
~ I would promise abandon
ment of politics in economics in
favor of truly mathematical
economics. Specific remedies TO
accomplish this could be offered.
The present system of taxa
ton should be abandoned en-
tirely in favor of incentive taxa
ton, based on national income,
with taxes being lowered auto
matically in times of depression
as national income goes down,
and increased automatically in
times of plenty as national in
come goes up.
would promise abandonment
of political spending and pro-
pose an entire government sys-
tenn similarly tied to national
income so it would function
automatically - public work
programs, government lending,
federal reserve rediscount rates,
all banking policies, etc.
7 ABOR policy:
IL On this subject particularly,
I would lay down a policy OF
common Justice for all the
people eliminating both the
preferments now enjoyed by
unions, which place them in a
special class beyond the law
but at the same time safe
guarding their just rights.
There is no reason in common
Justice why labor unions should
be beyond public inspection OF
their finances, no reason why
they alone should be permitted
to conduct rackets.
The great bulk OF labor In
this country is still outside the
unions and TO this middle class
of white collar men, / would
promise the first real represen-
tation they ever had in govern
ment. Unorganized, they have
suffered most from the war
which has raised the income OF
the lowest class, but imposed
unequal burd lens Of taxation
without increased incomes or
the middle class.
These are the main topics OF
Issue today. For the others,
such as farm price protection,
housing, ETC., I would work out
my formulas from this, same
overall principle. justice to all
rather than paternalism to a
few, abandonment of govern
ment by group pressures and an
appeal to common sense and not
merely to votes.
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