Evening Star Newspaper, December 10, 1922, Page 49

- - EDITORIAL PAGE NATIONAL SPECIAL PROBLEMS ARTICLES EDITORIAL SECTION The Sunfly S, Society I{ ews Part 2—16 Pages PLAN TO KEEP PEACE IN CENTRAL AMERICA Conference Now in Session Here Likely to Have Far-Reaching Consequences. BY JOHN BARRETT. Former Director General of the Pan American Henry Clay? Is President Harding to be a second President Monroe? In other words, are the years of 1922 and 1923 to mark as great progress in pan-Americanism as did the years of its actual birth in 1822 and 18232 Henry Clay was our first great pan- American Secretary of State with a real pan-American vision. James Monroe was our first President to make all the world recognize that the United States had a distinct and forceful pan-Amer- ican policy. The original conditions of those days are mow entirely changed. and the question arises: Is pan-Amer- ica awaiting or does it need the an- nouncement today of a new continental policy of =olidarity upon the part of the United States? Is there being formulated a new Harding or Hughes pan-American doctrine that shall sup- plement and possibly become a sub- stitute for the Monroe doctrine as the active need of the latter may pass off the international stage in the new era of world progress? Keynote of Future Policy. § Secretary Hughes to be a second' ! The momentous opening session of | oran¢ which should be followed by a reci- procal and confirming expression of sentiment by the leading men of all the American countries. Generally speaking, the people of the United States and of Latin Ameri- ca are today so deeply concerned with the situation in Europe that they may not attach the importance they should to this gathering of the representa- tives of five small countries of the western hemisphere in company with representatives of the United States. There is nothing sensational about this meeting, and yet it has in it the germs of a mighty continental move- ment. It is a big step by small coun- tries along the road of pan-American solidarity. And pan-American solidar- ity means the harmonious co-opera- tion of twenty-one republics and 200,- 000.000 of human beings for the best £ood of the western hemisphere, and hence of ali the world. It is almost a coincident and a most Interesting fact that in approximately 100 years after the declaration of the Monroe doctrine, whose centennial anniversary will be celebrated in De- cember, 1923, this conference on Cen- tral American affairs should be held in Washington, to be followed by the international conference of the conference on Central American af-| Amarican states—commonly known fairs in the Pan-American building 1ast { o5 the fitth pan-American conference— Monday might be interpreted that WaY. |54 Santiago, Chile, in March, 1923. Certainly Secretary Hughes in his re- markable introductory address struck a big kevnote of future policy. Not that | it does not apply to present policy i and has mot applied to past policy. ! but the Secretary seemed to have al peculiar look of vision in his eyes and a sound of prophecy in his voice when he looked over that notable assembly, not only of Central Amerlca and pan- America, but of all the world, and made | 2 declaration that should always be em- blazoned in shining letters throughout of pan-Americanism. Secretary Hughes said the big thing that Central America and, in fact, all Latin America wanted to hear, and he said it with emphasis. He said it with a knowledge of the past and of the present and a foresight of the future. lle said something| that today being discussed by every newspaper and in every par- liament or congress from Havana and Mexico (i south to Buenos Aires and Santiago. He meant what he said. Everybody who heard him; —FLatin American diplomats, Furo- pean diplomats, Asiatic diplomats and the rank and file of pan-Ameri- cans present—knew that he meant it by the glint in eye, the tone of his voice and the earriage of his person. Only 300 picked persons formed the audience in the beautiful Hall of the Amerlcas of the palatial | Pan-American building, but he spoke | through them not only to the two hundred millions of pan-Americans from Canada to Chile, but to the! billions of all the world. Of course, pan-America was chiefly interested. The rest of the world also was in- terested, because pan-America may yet be the saving factor in world civilization and the solidarity of the western hemisphere may be the in- fluence that will lead in the rebui ing of the world and of international society. i | States American Attitude. Before we go further let us recall this one big utterance of Secretary Hughes, which was the outstanding feature of the opening session of the conference on Central American af- fairs. It was included In one long sentence, followed by a cumulative short one. It was the master ex- pression of a master statesman, in- spired by tremendous sincerity. He The government of the United States has no ambition to gratify at your expense, no policy which runs counter to your national aspirations and no purpose save to promote the interests of peace and to assist you, in such manner as you may welcome. to solve your problems to your own proper advantage. The interest of the United States is found in the peace of this hemisphere and in the conservation of your interests.” 1 have searched the records of his- tory and read nearly ecvery address and expression of opinion by Ameri- can statesmen on our pan-American relations from the time of President Monroe and Henry Clay to the pres- ent, and I find nothing better than this statement as an interpretation of the real attitude of the American peo- ple toward not only Central America, but toward all Latin America. Pos- sibly it might be said to embody by extension the attitude of the Ameri- can people toward all the world. If there still lingers anywhere in Latin America a feeling that the United States government considers the Mon- roe doctrine as a club to hold over Latin America, this broad, statesman- like and sympathetic declaration of Secretary Hughes should completely remove it, for there is no question that he expresses the real sentiment of the American people. The United States government and its people still stand as strongly as ever for the vital prin- ciple of the Monroe doctrine, in so far as it involves the extension of old world sovereignty to the new ‘world, and in that respect every Latin American government and Latin American must have the same feeling. Suficient for Success. If nothing else were to be accom- plished by this Central American con- ference than to have given Secretary Hughes a platform to make this declaration, it could be described as having had a successful meeting. What he declared brought forth a series of almost extraordinary and certainly remarkable spontaneous re- sponses by the heads of the five Cen- tral Americap republics represented, \ { certain estent. to all the world. Prelude to Big Gathering. In a sense this conference in Wash- ington is a lesser or sectional try-out for the big international conference at Santiago in March. What wins out here ought to win out there. What- ever Is a success at this gathering should be a success there. If a small group of pan-American countries can Ket together on a common basis of enduring peace, on limitation of armament, on settlement by arbitra- tion of international differences that cannot be adjusted by ordinary diplo- matic processes, and on general and specific peaceful co-operation for their common good, all of the Ameri- can nations ought to be able to do this on a corresponding scale. In other words, if one-fourth of the re- publics of the Americas can unite for their common welfare, all the others, together with this one-fourth, should be able to do it on even a more ef- fective yand lasting program and scale. Everything in the agenda of this Central American conference, while being primarily local to the five Cen- tral American republics and the | Cnited States, applies in a greater or less degree to all America and, to a The example that this conference may set should be felt not only in the new world, but throughout the old world. To Make Treaties Effective. The first proposition before the conference Is that of “the negotiation of a treaty or treaties to make effec- tive those provisions of the treatles signed at Washington December 20, 1907, which experience has shown to be effective in maintaining friendly relations and co-operation among the Central American states.” Well do I remember that first Central Ameri can conference, for it was my privil- ege then to be the executive head of the Pan-American Union and to be, in consequence, largely responsible for its organization. Its opening ses- sion I will never forget, when Elihu Root, then Secretary of State, made an address of international signifi- cance and carrying almost the same sentime’ m as those expressed by Secretasy Hughes. What Mr. Root then safd was favorably discussed over pan-America and to some ex- tent in Europe and Asia. The United States was represented by W. I. Buchanan, one of the great- est constructive pan-Americans in our history and a former minister to Argentina. Robert Bacon, then as- sistant secretary of state, also played an important part. There was a sig- nal difference, however, between the first conference and this second one, in that Mexico was represented by its ambassador, Enrique Creel, for at that time Mexico was most intimately concerned with the Central American problem. In a degree it is a pity that Mexlco is not represented at this gathering, because she, more than any other country on the western hemi- sphere, has an intimate political, geo- graphical and commercial relation- ship to Central America, but it is futile to discuss this point because of existing international relations. The big point is that the conference was a great success. It saved Central America from {impending interna- tional armed conflicts and brought about a new era of Central American international friendship and co-op-. eration. It established the Central American court of justice, for which Andrew Carnegie built a peace palace in Costa Rica. While everything de- sired was not achieved, the general purpose was accomplished and there has been since then no serious con- flict between any of the Central American countries. Now they meet again to make, all pan-Americans hope, the peace and friendly co-opera- tion of Central American nations and peoples perpetual. Big Moral Infiuence. If this conference succeeds in this respect it will have a big moral in- fluence on the great pan-American conference to be held at Santiago next March. It will mean that a bloc of six American republics—the five of Central America and the United States—will go to Santiago with a prestige of successful getting togeth- er and working for a common pur- pose of international good. The second item on the program reads: Measures whereby, in view of the achievements accomplished with regard - to -the limitation. of arma- Y ‘WASHINGTON, D. O, SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 10, 1922. Reaction to President Harding’s Message Favorable in Congress and With Public|,, . ... ish Electoral College and . BY N. 0. MESSENGER. EACTION of sentiment on President Harding’s address to Congress last Friday was decidedly favorable. Statesmen in Congress, out- side and plain citizens expressed high ap- proval of its terms. It fell out that there were a number of prominent men from other cities here Saturday for attendance at the Gridiron Club’s dinner last night, and ex- pressions of approval and gratification were heard from many of them. At the Capitol the statement was fre- quently made that the message will rank as a notable state paper. i politicians * %k %k % Politicians declare that the President in his recommendations for legislation has gone a long way toward meeting the demand for a progressive stand by the republican party. In passing, it might be recalled that some of the republican leaders predicted two months ago that the administration would be found advancing the banner of progressivism, as the word is applied to safe and reasonable legislation, and the republican party in Con- gress would not be justly chargeable with reactionism. * % ¥ X The next question now is when and how are the recommendations to be carried out in actual consideration of bills and their enactment into law, and what time will be afforded for that undertaking. The Presi- dent, in his opening remarks, recognized the brief space allowed by the short session for the work in hand and the impracticality of recommending too much. It would seem that the work which he did cut out for Congress would keep it busy for more days than re- main until March 4, if its completion is es- sayed at this session. No hint was given in his address of a pos- sible extraordinary session, and if one is not voluntarily called or forced, the projects must go over until a year from this month. The natural deduction would seem that he may find it expedient along in the spring to call the new Congress into being. But the President’s policy is to cross bridges when he comes to them. * %k %k X There was a great deal of discussion yes- terday of President Harding's dealing with the prohibition question and the possible modification of the Volstead act. Right after election there was an outburst of enthusiasm among the near-wets over the possibility of broadening the statute by enlarging alcoholic content of wine and beer. They thought the wet victories would have moral effect upon Congress. As to that, it may have on the new Con- gress, but not on this one, for Friday, in the House, the drys fairly mopped up the floor with the wets on every amendment which was offered to legalize beverages of more than half of 1 per cent of alcohol. President Harding did not hold out any comfort to the wets, when his words are analyzed, beyond one construction put upon them by some of the wets who professed to see in them an intimation that the rigid en- forcement of the law, upon which he is in- tent, might arouse sentiment in favor of modification. * % % % The President first expressed his belief that the day is unlikely to come when the eighteenth amendment will be repealed. “The fact may as well be recognized and our course adapted, accordingly,” he said. Then he went on to say: “If the statutory pro- visions for its enforcement are contrary to deliberate public opinion, which I do not believe, the rigorous and literal enforcement will concentrate public attention on any reg- uisite modification.” Some fine differentiation is required to ex- tract the idea of support by the executive of the hopes of the wets for modification. Of course, it is an old saying that the way to kill an obnoxious law is to enforce it strictly, and that is what the wets are lean- ing upon. The President’s qualifying re- mark of disbelief would seem to indicate his conviction that they are leaning on a broken reed. * % k *x The meeting of governors of states which the President said he would call will be an interesting occasion. But it will not offer much promise of relief to the wets, it would seem. The President explained that their coming was to offer opportunity for a con- ference with federal executive authority. Out of it is expected to come, as the Presi- dent explained, “a more adequate compre- hension of the whole problem and definite policies of national and state co-operation in administering the laws.” It is not to be a convocation, therefore, to facilitate turning on the spigot, but to clamp the lid still tighter. What will the Governor of New Jersey say to the Governor of New York when they are asked to co-operate with the federal government in more rigidly enforcing the law? * % k k One oi the most widely approved utter- ances of the President was his emphatic recommendation that measures be taken for enforcing the decisions of whatever authority is set for the determination of disputes be- tween railway workmen and their employers. The carrying out of it will bring on a sharp contest in Congress, it is apprehended, but it is predicted that it will be done. Statesmen at the Capitol say that if there is one definite proposition upon which majority public opinion is concentrated it is that there must be some measure of authority, capable of being enforced, which will prevent trans- portation and production of coal being stop- ped and curtailed. * X X ¥ While not committing himself to the be- lief that amendment to the Constitution is weakening fundamental law, the President gave his idea of proposals to amend - charter. He resisted the thought that ex- cessive amendment “is essential to meet every ephemeral whim. We ought to amend to meet the demands of the people when sanctioned by deliberate public opinion.” That is worth thinking over. ment by the powers participating in the conference at Washington in 1921, the Central American states may car- ry on this endeavor and set the ex- ample to the world and, above all, to the powers of this hemisphere, by adopting effective measures for the limitation of armament in Central America.” In other words, how can twenty-one nations, assembled at santiago in March, 1923, refuse to follow the example which may be set by five of Central America and ap- proved by the United States, especial- 1y when these five, supported by the United States, will stand solldly together for this noble purpose? In- asmuch as several of the chief na- tions of South America proper, under the initiation of Chile, have declared or shown in their approval of this principle in the shaping of the pro- gram for the fifth pan-American conference, it would seem that a pow- erful majority of the American re- publics would vote for a forward step in this direction of continental and international peace. Although, of course, the situation in Central America is in many respects quite different from that in the leading South American states, there is un- doubtedly a common ground on which they can get together with the United States, Central America, Mex- ico, Cuba, Halitl, tae Dominican Re- public and Panama, of the rorthern hemisphere, for a disarmament pro- gram which will prove to all Amer- jca and to all the world that the western hemisphere is a unit for world progress and world peace. Arbitration of Disputes. The third proposition of the pro- gram of the conference is: “The working out of a plan for setting up tribunals of inquiry whenever any disputes or questions regarding the proposed treaty or treatles, which cannot be settled by diplomatic means, shall unfortunately arise be- tween any two or more of the coun- tries. The opinion is almost unanimous among the delegates to this confer- ence that something practical will be achieved under this head. If it is ao- complished it should spell permanent peace among those five countries. If they can do it, then the sixteen other American republics can also do it, or, otherwise stated, the twenty-one can do it. This does not mean separation from or opposition to the central or ‘world league of nations already es- tablished, but it does signify that one most important section of the world can get together in some kind of an association, which might be called the pan-American league of nations, that ‘will, through tribunals of inquiry and arbitration, settle all purely pan- American or inter-American contro- versies and differences without refer- ence to the world league of nations. This is and will be just as natural and reasonable as state tribunals and courts of the various states of the United States or of other pan-Ameri- can countries adjust their disputes without reference to their respective supreme courts. Ninety per cent of pan-American international contro- versies do not concern directly Eu- rope or Asia and can and should be settled by pan-American tribunals. Possibly here we see the beginnings of the working out of the proposition which Uruguay has submitted for the formation of a pan-American league of nations at the pan-American con- ference in Santiago next March. Possibilities of Union. The final subject on the program ef — (Continued on TRid Page) “AS I SEE IT.” By William Allen White. Note.—In publishing this ar- ticle by the brilllant editor of the Emporia Gazette The Star does not necessarily Indorse the views he expresses. But Mr. ‘White brings to the discussion of current events a fertile mind and an entertaining style, and a discriminating public will place its own valuation upon the opinions he advances. MERICANS are about to see a A most engaging spectacle, if they have eyes for politics. It is the grand larceny of the “yellow dog.” And right here is the place for an explanatory note. In both the major parties of our politics is a large group of voters whose stupldity motives their loyalty. They are the kind of voters whose proud boast is that they will vote for a “yellow dog” if he is on their ticket. And they do so. They are known as the “yellow dog” vote. For years the up- lifters and the doctrinaires of politi- cal scfence have bewalled the presence of this “yellow dog” vote. These strict Pharisees of politics; whose party loyalty has accepted without qualms the crooks and incompetents that have been forced upon their party tickets, have been stumbling blocks of progress. They have been handled by party managers with im- punity for whatever ends those man- agers cared to achieve. Now the “yellow dog” is to be vital- ized and harnessed to a real pprpose. The liberals and progressives and party-minded radicals seem to have decided to steal the “yellow dog" and to make him fetch and carry for them. In the recent election out west the liberal element in the major par- tles has been victorious In the pri- maries and men have been nominated who have to all intents and purposes formed & new party, though it is in- side both of the old parties—a party not within a party, but within the parties. The “yellow dog” voter voted the liberal ticket. And in the republican party the “yellow dog™ was galvanized to produce republican majorities for the new party in Cali- fornia, where Johnson won, though it is an old story there; in Nebraska, where Howell won; in North Dakota, where Frazier won; in Wisconsin, where La Follette won; in Towa, where Brookhart won; in Pennsylvania, where Pinchot won. The democratic “yellow dog” was harnessed "to the cart of progress in Michigan, where Ferrts won; in Montana, where ‘Wheeler won; in Washington, where Dill wdn; in Colorado, where Sweet won; in Georgia, where George won; in Arisona, where Hunt won; in New York, where Smith and Copeland won; in Missouri, where Reed won—though Reed was hitched to the back end of the cart—and in Wyoming, where Kenricks won. In other recent elec- tions it has been evident that the “vellow dogs” are just as easy to fenergize in moving the cart of prog- ress as they are in the states above named. Kansas, Idaho, Illinois, Ne- vada, Oklahoma afd Texas have sent liberal leaders to Congress and lib- eral governors to their capitals at various times, and it is evident that the “yellow dog” can be used if he can be stolen. S0 we see a nation-wide organisa- tion to steal the “yellow dog.” xghnott:glhnhmm oring for a third party. Brookhart, Borah, Capper, Ferris and Pinchot have no feeling La Follette, 1 | | | | porker who has been living among the prodigals! A Diller, a Dollar. ‘HE packers who started to merge REFORMS TO BE PUSHED ‘BY PROGRESSIVE BLOC Bring Government Closer to People. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. ACK of the movement inaugu- rated by the new progressive bloc in Congress for the elimi- nation of the electoral col- ilege, so-called, the direct election of President and Vice President, the earlier meetings of Congresses fol- lowing their election, and the earlier inauguration of President and Vice President, looms a contest to bring about more “popular” government in this country through the inaugura- tion of federal primary and standard state primary laws for the selection of candidates for public office. The history of the republic shows clearly that the present movement is in line with a trend toward more popular government running over al long trend of years. The constitu-! tional amendments providing for the | direct election of senators and grant- | ing suffrage to women are among the latest manifestations of this tendency. Proposals Not Partisan. Efforts to check this tendency bave been made from time to time—are being made now. Party machines— and the master mechanics guiding these machines—do not, naturally, look with faver upon proposals that necessarily would shake their grip. It is significant that the men who are backing the proposed changes are made up of all the political parties in the field, that the changes are not ad- vanced as the proposals of any par-, ticular party, as the parties exist to- day. They are the progressive ele-; ment in those parties. It is expected that a bill will be drafted before long providing for a federal primary law, for the nomina- tion of candidate for President and Vice President. It will eminate from the new progressive bloc. It is ex- pected also, that a model law for the states will be put forward and an ef- fort made to have this model law Ildopled in the various states, as an effoft will be made for the passage of the proposed federal primary law in Congress. The President and vice presidential candidate are now nominated in party conventions, composed of delegates selected by the parties in the various | states, in various ways. The party platforms are drafted in these same conventions. In some of the states, these delegates have been “instruct- ed” by primary elections to support | with the electoral college and prov- the platforms as would any other group. Borak Saved Primary. Senator Borah of Idaho, republican and one of the leaders among the progressives, found not long ago that his enemies In his state had planned his political funeral by secking to abolish the state primary law for the nomination of candidates for the Sen- ate and having the old convention Set up again. In a convention, the party leaders felt sure that they could handle the situation, and when Mr. Borah came up for renomination two years hence select another man. Mr. Borah jumped into the fight last fall and succeeded in bring about the election of a majority in both branches of the state legislature in favor of the primary sysPam. So the party bosses in Jdaho appear to have had their trouble for no purpose. This. by the way. is considered a significant victory for the supporters of the primary system. There are many members of Con- gress outside of the so-called pro- gressive bloc who favor some of the Steps proposed, for instance, the earlier meetings of newly elected Congresses and the inauguration of the newly elected Presidents and Vice Presidents as soon as it is feasible. Others approve the plan to do sway e for the direct election of the Presi- dents and Vice Presidents by the peo- ple. Hesitate to Open Door. There are also those who fear that to tamper with the existing condi- tions might be to open the door to changes more drastice than they would care to support. They are will- ing to admit, for example, that the electoral college accomplishes no Egood purpose at present, but they fear that 1f the presidential and vice presidential electors are done away with, some day it may be proposed to have a nationwide election for the chief executive without state lines being taken into consideration. The proposal now is to elminate the electoral college and retain the elec- toral vote of the states for President and Vice President, so that each state would have the same say in deciding the presidential contest as at present That 1s the provision of the Norris resolution proposing to amend the Constitution, which was recently re- and were ruthlessly torn from | certain candidates for nomination. It | Ported favorably to the Senate from their noble dream must have had foolish advice. What they tried would have gone by with scarcely a protest a year ago, or even six months ago. As late as last fall a second- excited comment only upon the clev- it were possible to have all these delegates so instructed, then the ef- fect would be largely the same as though a nation wide primary had been held—provided of course, the Couzens, | 30Ty worker in the mint would have | jelegates carried out their instruc- tions and voted for the candidates that the times demand a nmew party | STNess of his ldea But the top blew |ifayored at the state primarfes. Next alignment—not for a moment. The |Of the whited sepulcher of our smug| 4, ¢ne nation-wide presidential pri- third party announcements have come recently from the conservatives, from conservatism with the late election. ‘We have witnessed a mystery. Inthe Nicholas Murray Butler and Frank | tWInkling of an eye we have changed Munsey. It fs the “vellow dog” that|from a sluggish, somnolent people, is howling. He doesn't like his new | dully contemplating the rape of hu- master. not, that dog is a goner! for a new kennel and a new chain. |81l over the lot, miscellaneously The party boss who loved him has lost | shooting up the place by way of In- him. The “yellow to be voted to some good purpose in a naughty and miserable world. 20g” vote is about | dicating that hell is out for noon. A dozen or twenty radicals appear in the Senate, in governors’ mansions; .| Newberry resigns; Daugherty files the The Return From the Prodigals. HENRY 1. MENCKEN has returned from Europe to thi ‘third raters and boobs” and upon suits against the war profiteers and is his himself faced with impeach- ment; La Follette assembles a group of man-eaters and the packers’ merger is thrown out of the White nation of | House, which ten weeks ago was sup- posed by the big fellows to be the the whole he is glad to get home. He | j1adel of orderly larceny. rlacl-m_ that even If we are & 10usy | mhg packers’ lawyers fooled around | ©d in @ platform are a more respons lot, he “likes the show"” we put up. |, long. While the other boys were | Ibl® group, when it comes to making And it really is a great show—the greatest show on earth. getting theirs the packers were asleep. A diller, a dollar, a 10 o'clock What a gorgeous and exciting | scholar, why did you drop your loot? panorama files across the pages of &n | you used to take the hair and hide— | have the platforms of the parties|tion. This is one of the reasons, for American newspaper every day in the | and now you got the boot! year. Here are faces of all the “beasts at Ephesus,” the impassioned booster, the crasy lover, the paranoac trader, the seer of visions, the shal- low-pated babbler, bandits that would shame All Babi's forty thieves, magi- cians that make music come out of the | resigned, brings to the Senate another | Would be just as Amother Liberal. HE appointment of Mayor Couzens of Detroit to flll the senatorial term of Senator Truman H. Newberry, air and genii that direct power in|man of the liberal wing of the party. machines a hundred miles distant. Newberry was a conservative. He Fools caper across the pages of the | thought his election, by the use of papers and wise men hide in lonesome | his own money for advertising pur- corners; dreams come true and well | poses, in moral violation of the state laid plans run wild. The dramatic | law, was, even though illegal, for the personae throws into the caste of the | larger good. But his money has been mad drama heroes, villians, clowns, gentlemen, ladies, corfants, foolishly spent, even from his own cafe, | standpoint. Because Newberry was trolls, little knaves and big ones, | seated, nine other republican sena- angels and devils, the mob, its victim | tors, of his own conservative views, and its conqueror. lost their seats, and his successor 1s a No wonder Mencken is glad to come | man of the type that he most vio- back from the lamentable comedy of | leritly abhors. Europe and take his seat before the pageant of American life. and grunts more or less at it. The money that Newberry spent to He snorts | promote what he thought was a holy He | cause hds been really a most effec- affects to despise most of its aspects'tive contribution to liberalism, even and some of its phases are dispiriting, but it is the greatest show under ;servatism likes to call radicalism. to that ultra-liberalism which con- It God’s mundane heaven, because the |{sn’t what you order with your money, thing 1s alive. It means something | but what you get, that counts. New- because it has vitality. No one knows | perry ordered a victery for the estab- ‘what it means. But it is significant | jjghed order. ‘What he got was the of something—the heaven only knows | wopst of it. what. But say, man, how it holds us. Those who have to pass out be- tween the acts must give a wistful and lingering look back, no matter what phantasmagora may flare before their eyes in the offing of eternity. * And one of the most engaging fig- The Good “Cherruble Brether.” T is a curious fact that with all the wreck of matter that has disheveled the republican party during the last four weeks, the roar of the pale pink ures on the scene s this same |socialist in the land, the loud bazoo of Mencken, who comes back to- the | the bloc-head reverberating in the sky, spectacle with interest renewed after |leaves Harding cool, collected, imper- looking at the debacle .of Europe. | turbable, the same kindly, suave, com- ‘With a pig’s eyes that never look up, | placent gentleman that he was two with with a pig's brain that knows only the | he is getting away with it. pig’s snoot that loves muck, | years ago. And what is more important, He has the sty, and a pig’'s squeal that cries only | same confidence of the people that he when he is hurt, sometimes opens his | had when he began his term as Presi- pig’s mouth, tusked and ugly, and|dent. It never was a case of hot and lets out the voice of God—railing at | panting affinity—the affair between the whitewash fhat covers the President Harding and his people. But manure about his habitat. In all bur ed that American letters we have produced :::Hp::::":::‘ wll:h !:‘a,ln with ‘::: no more a caliaban than Henry L. Mepcken. . And 2o long as he is a part of the American show, it will be ‘worth the price. - Here's - welcome -home- to - the tain obvious reservations and qualifica- tions for better or for worse for four ysass ot mose. _And strngely in sl (Coptinued on Third Page.) mary, this is what the progressives ‘would prefer. Each on Owa Platform. Under the primary system, the mak- But whether he likes it or | manity by the flends of reaction, and | ing of platforms would be a different He s due |today we are yipping and kyoedling | matter also. Wisconsin has been a pioneer in the matter of primary laws. There candidates for nomina- tion to office announce their plat- forms. Since they are the men who have to carry out the platform pledges, if they are elected, it is con- sidered logical that they should an- nounce them. They are the individual platforms. After the party nomina- tions have been made, the nominees gather and write the party platform. It is considered that the men whose duty is to fulfill the pledges contain- promises, than the men who will have nothing to do with carrying them out. ‘Whether it would be possible to drafted at national conventions of the party nominees, for the Senate and House and for President and Viece President, or whether it would be wise to attempt such a plan, it does seem as though these party nominees capable of drafting Two-Cent Stamp Has New Picture Of First Patriot George Washington will appear in & new portrait on United States two- cent postage stamps soom, it was learned at the Post Office Depart- ment yesterday. i The old familiar pink stamp, bear- [ ing the head of the father of the | country, is to be superceded by the | new design, one of the series of stamps now being issued by the de- partment. The series ranges from 1 cent to $5. ‘The new two-cent stamp will remain pink, bearing 2 head of Washington, which is declared to be much like the old one, but with some changes. The department also expects to put out shortly, probably immediately after the issuance of the two-center. | the new issues of stamps bearing the heads of Jefferson and Monroe. Owing to rush work at the bureau of engraving and printing, it is understood, the issuance of the new two-cent stamp has been delayed. but the Post Office Department hopes to put the stamp on sale soon, prob- ably next week. The present two-cent stamps will be used up, however, before the new ones are sold generally. The new issue will go on sale mostly to col- lectors at first, and as the old ones the committee on agriculture, Electoral College a Myth. ‘The electoral college, as things stand today, is in 2 measure a myth. It does not really select the President and Vice President, using its own judgment, as was intended by the framers of the Constitution. Each of the electors is considered pledged to vote for the party candidate on whose ticket his name was placed. Nor does the electoral college ever meet. The electors chosen in the varlous states do meet on a certain day following their selection, and cast the ballots for President and Vice DPresident. which, in turn, are duly forwarded to ‘Washington to be canvassed by Con- No mention of an electoral ade in the Constitution, : though provision is made for presi- dential and vice presidentia] electors. Suppose that the electors, after be- ing chosen at the polls, should take the bit In their teeth and nominate for President some other man than the candidate nominated by the party on whose ticket they had run. They have a perfect right under the Con- stitution to do this very thing. Mere- iy because it has never been done, is no reason to declare that it never will be done. There is little doubt but ‘what such action would cause revolu- instance, that men like Senator Cum- mins of Iowa favor the abolition of the electoral college. Change From Early Days. Prior to 1804 the eiectors—the mem- bers of the electoral college—cast their ballots for-President and the man who received the highest num- ber was elected, while the man who received the second highest number was elected Vice President. Under this system it was possible for a President to belong to one party and & Vice President to another. But now they cast their ballots for both of- fices, and vote for their party “ticket.” The demand that the electoral col- lege be eliminated has been made a number of times before. Former Sen- ator Shaffroth of Colerado, democrat, in 1917 offered a resolution propos- ing a constitutional amendment for this purpose. It was very like the Norris resolution of today, except that it coupled with the proposal to eliminate the electoral college and advance the inauguration day of the President and the meeting of Con- gress a proviso that a President should be allowed only one term, and that term for six years instead of the four-year term. There is a growing belief that the limitation of a President to a single term, whether of four or six years, would result in a better administra- tion of the government for the peo- ple. The desire of a President to suc- ceed himseif, it is contended, leads [nim to steps which he otherwise ‘would not take. The democratic plat- form of 1812 declared for the princi- ple of a single term. At that time, the late Col. Theodore Roosevelt was likely contender for the presidency. although he had served practically eight years in the White House, his last term ending in 1908 The plank was lost sight of later, and Woodrow Wilson was elected twice. There is considerable strength in favor of the single-term proposal, however, and eventually it is likely/to be pressed, along with the other proposed eom- (mnunul changes. -