New-York tribune. [volume], February 18, 1920, Page 7, Image 7

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Civil S
U. S. Workers j
Ruled by Law
Termed Farce
End Secret Diplomacy and
Espionage; Give Govern?
ment Employee Voice
in Departmental Rule j
Danger? in Favoritism
Democratization of All
Federal Institutions Is
Asked for Platform
To the Editor of' The Tribune.
Sir: It is generally admitted that
governmental institutions aro exas
ocratingly wasteful and inefficient, that"
*he civil service law has become or
was from the beginning a mere farce,
neither insuring the reward of merit
r.or afford ?".g: protection against arbi?
trary and autocratic chiefs. But so
far "no one has suggested the remedy
for this great evil. The evil persists
?espite its exnosurc and despite the
activities of efficiency committees, the
National Ferie ration of Federal Em?
ployees? Civil Service Reform Asso?
ciation and similar associations, of
professional reformers, for the simple
reason that r.o evil can be remedied by
those who professionalize or commer?
cialize it.
The only remedy for this state of af- j
fairs will he the democratization of ;
every governmental institution: If we !
desire to have an efficient government,
the reward of merit, security of tenure,
fraternal relations between public
tenants and all the other good things
that go therewith.:
(1) Let each governmental employee
have a voice in the administration of
his institution;
(2) Let the employees of each insti?
tution elect their own administrative
officer?;
(3) Let secret diplomacy within each
institution he eliminated:
(41 Let ail matters of general in?
terest be decided by the majority, such
a- the laying down of new rules, pro?
motion--, change of employment and
administrative changes;
(6) Lp* the scientific heads be i*e
cruited by the Civil Service Commis?
sion from iv.cn of acknowledged ability,
?he arc canable of creating useful
work for their subordinates ?and who
can maintain their authority by su?
perior ability and usefulness, and not
Dv intimidation, favoritism, espionage,
tr.e sowing of mutual fear and distrust
among subordinates, and by driving >ut
of the service the self-respecting, in?
dependence-loving type of employees;
ifi' L"'. no position be filled prior to
?oi without un examination;
17) Let all examinations be real ex?
amination-- .
(8) Let the distinction between a
ruling and a subject class in govern?
ment service be wiped out by means of
flections, the initiative, referendum
and recall.
OSIAS L. SCHWARZ, A. M.
130 West Eighty-third Street, New
York City.
--?-.
"Americans for America"
To the Editor of the Tribune.
Sir: Why not pick a man who will
say "Down with politics?Americans
for America!" then there will be no
need of petty planks?which have not
amounted to a row of pins in the last
'.wo administrations. GEEKEE.
leryice
To-Day?F
lo the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In the framing of a national
platform that shall make its appeal
to the nation's intelligence and
sense of moral obligation, should we
not look to the rock from whence
wo are hewn for what genuine Amer?
icanism means ? Our forefathers, in
laying the foundations of our re?
public, ignored all caete, class, sec?
tionalism or sectarian prejudices.
Out of many diverse elements a na?
tion was formed, and out of many
conflicting theories of government a
constitution was written.
We have been drifting away from
the sense of a definite nationalism
and we have been faithless to the un?
derlying principles of the Constitu?
tion, which guarantee justice, free?
dom and personal rights to all. The
newly incubated internationalism is
something which the makers of this
nation distinctly avoided. We have
ajso violated the original spirit of
Americanism Seen
As Biggest Issue
In Political Arena
t ?- '
World Not Ready for Any!
Kind of Internationalism i
That Overlaps Principles !
of U. S. in Covenants,
t . ?
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The world is not ready for any
kind of internationalism that overlaps
the strictest conformity to acknowl?
edged principles of keeping our cove?
nants and our treaties.
We can neither justify the action of
a Germany in forcing war . upon the
world or accept a league of nations
such as has been Wilsonized.
To arrive at a complete international
agreement at the conclusion of the
World War was impossible. It has been
impossible for the United States to ac?
cept the league of nations, and it will
not be accepted without reservations.
What we do accept is the intent ana
purpose of this league, for in this it is
believed that the good faith of the most
powerful nations shall have full weight.
We add the United States as one of
the high contracting parties, yet in
greater significance we give our moral
force and influence, both of which are
formative of a true balance of power,
inevitable and conclusive.
I believe th"t we have need to're?
member this fa ., for without this so
called balance of power there can be no
dominance, no right, no authority.
We have need to remind ourselves
that as a nation we are entering a
period of a most momentous future.
Labor, bogEOwing of the errors of a
discredited iipitalism of twenty years
ago, sees only its selfish gains from
day to day. Votaries of its reforms go
to extremes.
To approach a sane international
agreement among nations is imperative,
yet not more so than the need of a gov?
ernmental policy which will face .our
domestic problems and set us right be?
fore the world.
To create a definite government pol
Refont
'rize Letter
tho Constitution by enactments con- j
trary to personal liberty and equal ?
rights as our forefathers understood j
them.
If the Republican party will take
as its keynote in the coming cam- ;
paign the slogan "Fidelity to the Po
lltlcal Faith of ?ho Founders of the
Republic" it will appeal at once to
the historic sense of tho nation and
to the need of rebuilding on the wis?
dom that shaped divergent coinmuni
tics into a cohesivo national unit.
That spirit of the. older American?
ism is well expres3ed in the words
of the prayer book, "That all thing?
may be so ordered and settled upon !
the best and surest foundations that
peace and happiness, truth and jus?
tice, religion and piety may be es- |
tablished among us for all genera?
tions." Can modern Americanism ex?
press it any better?
ROGERS TAYLER.
St. George's Rectory, Schencctady,
N. Y. ?
Editor's Note
The Editor again directs attention
to the condition of the contest,
limiting a single plank to 100 words.
A plank exceeding that limit will
not be considered. This demand for
concise statement is not unreason?
able. Some of the strongest plat?
form planks adopted by conventions
i have required less than fifty words
, for complete expression.
There is no limit on the number
! of planks or letters an individual
may submit. But of two of equal
merit the shorter will be preferred.
icy we must, elect those who will safe?
guard our institutions and stand for a
100 per cent Americanism. C. F. (?.
-a
Republicans Advised
To Avoid Generalities
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: It is generally recognized by
the reading public that the platform
contest in your paper is having a stim?
ulating effect on political thinkers, but
if it is to have any influence for good
you would do well not to lose sight of
the fact that people of America are
i not vitally interested in the generali
! ties expressed in a political platform.
For instance, an article in The Trib
! une of February 5 stated that the Re?
publican party would place itself on
i record as guaranteeing an efficient and
I economical administration. Will some
jone inform me how it is to be deter?
mined whether or not an administra?
tion has been efficient and economical?
j You readily can see that such a gen?
erality is without value.
It would be infinitely better for the
i party to go on record as definitely
promising to enact into law such meas?
ures for the general good as can be
definitely recognized as tending to
eliminate glaring injustices in our
present governmental system. Prom?
ises made must be kept and not ignored j
as by the head of the present Admin- J
istration. ERNEST COLLIER.
48 Vesey Street.
Why Keep Your Securities
in Your Safe ?
If you deposit your securities in our Customers'
Securities Department to be held subject to your
order, we assume all responsibility and not only
keep them safely but?
We collect your dividends and in?
terest promptly and dispose of the
proceeds as you may direct.
We keep an accurate account of your
income from these securities for use
in making out your tax returns.
We will sell or purchase securities on
your order and act practically as
your financial secretary.
The charges for this service are reasonable and our
booklet "The Modern Method of Caring for Securities,"
sent|o yoU'On request, will explain its details.
Bankers
Trust Company
Member Federal Reserve System
Downtown Offic? AttorTrust O?o?.
16 Wall Street fthAmutft * 42nd Stfoa
i Plant
Nation Yearns
For Return to
A Peace Basis
_. \
Roads Must Be Treated
Equitably and Re-estab?
lished on a Paying Foot?
ing to Attract Capital
Currency Aid Sought
? ?*?
Remedy Is Suggested to
Check Further Advances
in Commodities Prices
j To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: There are many facts at hand
1 to show that the Democratic party has
j not seriously taken up the problems'
I of peace.
Last October our government had to
j invoke its war powers under the Lever
| act to settlu what threatened to be a
' disastrous coal strike.
The high cost of living was called
| to the attention of our Chief Executive
i last summer by the railway brothcr
' hoods. Promises were made that the
I government would check the rising
[tide of prices. Living costs have, de?
spite those promises, steadily mounted.
I Our currency was greatly inflated
during the war by the issue of Federal
i Rescivo notes.
Finally, this country has not formally
concluded peace with its enemies. The
attempt to force us into a visionary
league as the price of making peace
has failed; yet. the Administration re?
fuses to yield to the pressure of pub?
lic opiniou*
It is ev'dently up to the Republican
party to reestablish the country on a
peace basis. The following remedie?
are proposed :
Governmental machinery should be
established to handle industrial dis?
putes in a fair and constitutional man?
lier, without recourse to the war pow?
ers cf government.
The railroads, forming as they dc
j the backbone of our nation's industry
j must be treated equitably and reetab
j ?isiierl on a paying basis. In no othci
way can new capital be attracted, which
lis p.Iready badly needed for replace
?tents, extensions and improvements.
Industry must now be relocated ami
essential production encouraged.
The expanded currency should br
j gradually contracter!. This will help
I tc check further rises in commodity
! prices.
Peace should ho concluded immedi
] itely, even ?it lire sacrifice of the league
?>f nations idea.
VICTOR R. SCHACHTEL.
911 Summit Avenue. New York City.
| -
Party Creed Sought to
Stress ^American Ideals
Defeat Preferred lo Victory if
Success Means Surrender
of Principles
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: There was a time in our po?
litical history when party platforms
had some meaning and represented d if -
| feront principles upon which the voters
divided arrd acted, bul lilis was before
the present day individualism of candi?
dates and the non-partisan advocates
of a single cause or of class legislation
had become permanent.
A few illustrations prove this state?
ment. The Adamson law was passed
by Congress at the instigation of labor
leaders under threat of a railroad
strike. It was not so much the fear of
the strike that influenced its passage,
but the fear of the labor vote at the
coming national election.
The Anti-Saloon League policy of
supporting individual legislators, both
state and national, regardless of party
or their general fitness for office if they
could secure their votes for prohibi?
tion has brought a new political
method into existence.
What should a platform of a safer
party, or as we were talking about,
the Republican party, be? Is it to be
more of a creed containing basic funda?
mental principles of government and
ideals of true Americanism and democ?
racy or will it be a combination of all
ideas to catch the vote of every form
of "ism?" Is it to be made largeiy
to win or will it be such that the party
if it does win may be found to have
won a victory under it. Better (lie
right platform and lose than a lowered
standard of policy and ideals and win.
I. II. B.
Love of Country Urged
To the p:ditor of The Tribune.
Sir: The Republican party should
demand the creation of an American
spirit that is not merely satisfied with
the waving of flags, singing of patriotic
airs, sprtadeagleism and the declaim?
ing the Declaration of Independence
but a spirit that demands of every
American his greatest, effort and high?
est ideal, be it the matter of cleaning
his sidewalk or jury duty, voting or
office holding. EAST'ORANGE
Conditions of the
Platform Contest
The Tribune invites you to write
planks for a Republican platform
I and to write letters about planks
proposed by other readers through
its columns.
For the best planks and letters
The Tribune offers these prizes:
For the best plank.$500.00
For the second best plank.. 250.00
For each of the eight next
beat planks . 100.00
For the best letter a daily
prize of . 10.00
For the best letter In the
whole competition . 100.00
The Tribune will make up a plat?
form of ten planks to be determined
by your votes. The ten issues re?
ceiving the most votes will be the
planks. The ten planks that best
express the chosen issues will be
selected for t?ie prize awards.
Each plank is limited to 100 words.
Of two planks or letters of equal
merit the shorter will be chosen.
I Every plank and letter must bear
the name and address of the sender,
although a nom de plume will be
published if the writer desires.
The contest will close at midnight,
April 30, 1920. Manuscripts will not
be returned.
Tho judges of the contest will be
three of Tho Tribune's editors. They
will base their decisions on sound
thinking and brevity, clearness and
strength of statement.
? Demanded c
I Some Suggested Planks
j Among the mass of suggestions for planks in the Republican
platform are the follotoing:
Develop Practical Inventions
In the interest of intensive de?
velopment of national resources ?and
to encourage the development of
practical inventions in the fields of
engineering and science, the Repub?
lican party advocates the introduc?
tion of institutions financed by tho
state to enable such inventions ami
improvements to be developed with?
1 out. direct cost to the inventor and
; with the facilities for patent rights
left unimpaired.?J. R. Farley, 363
Ridgeficld Avenue, Bridgeport, Conn.
Conserve National Resources
We advocate the conservation of
i wild life and national resources, and
the education of the people as to the
benefits tof be derived by their proper
care. Farmers should be encourage.!
to plant trees on ground unavailable
for farm use.?H. G. Hutchinson, 70:i
1 Riverside Drive.
Keep Government Intact
We condemn attempts on the part
of any one of the three branches of
! our government to encroach upon
I the constitutional rights of the other
1 two branches. The most flagrant in
| stance of this has been the attempt
I of the executive branch to dominate
the legislative branch. The executive
branch was instituted to carry out
legislation, not to dictate it.?H. G.
Chase.
Deportation for Undesirables
We would provide for the naturali?
zation of the foreign born only on
positive proof that they can read and
write the English language, and for
ythc deportation of all undesirable
i J foreigners whenever they are proven
. I such by a fair and impartial trial.?
i ? E. T. Faust, 1895 Honeywell Avenue.
Frame Liquor Laws With Care
All sumptuary legislation should
he remitted to where the framers of
the constitution placed it?with the
, several states- and all laws designed
to control the evils of the liquor
j traille should be so framed as to con?
serve, rather than destroy, vested
j rights and the national revenue.?
A. J. A. Morgan, 1060 Amsterdam
'? Avenue.
I -"r
Increase U. S. Bottoms
' ? The Republican party advocate*
' ' the enactment of a law to allow a 10
; per cent rebate on all import duties
! on such goods as are carried in ships
j owned, officered and 25 per cent or
i more manned by American citizens.
j J. O'B.
j . -
Put Labor Under Rule
All labor organizations shall be in?
corporated and shall be amenable to
the same conditions, rules and regu?
lations as are enjoined upon all other
corporations which are organized or
maintained for purposes of manufac?
turing, transporting or producing
; supplies, materials or products of
j any kind or character.?George B.
| Burbank.
( _
Education (or All
A common language being a funda?
mental basis for a united people, we
believe that tho English language,
the language of the Constitution and
the Declaration of Independence,
should be understood by every in
dividual within our borders, so that
from this knowledge there may spring
a more loyal allegiance to our na?
tional ideals of democracy. We
therefore pledge ?.arselves to fur?
ther the cause of American educa?
tion in every feasible manner, and
to eradicate the blight of illiteracy.
-Ralph Lo?8elle.
Economy Pledge Required
The Republican party pledges it?
self, if it is returned to power, to
appoint at the very outset of its
administration a joint committee of
Senators- and Representatives who
will be. charged with the duty of
working out a policy of economy and
retrenchment.?Hooker.
Abolish Class Feeling
We strongly deprecate the foster?
ing of class feeling or prejudice, or
giving any body of citizens any
special privileges or dictatorship
over any others. Barriers between
classes lead to barricades in streets.
Therefore a man's brains, skill, in?
dustry and good citizenship should
admit him to any social position or
office in the gift of the nation.?
Charles H. Crandall, Stamford, Conn.
Industrial Peace Sought
An industrial relations com?
mittee, a new step in calming in?
dustrial unrest and in promoting
harmony between capital and labor.
?S. S. S.
Specific Platform Indorsement
It is the intention of the RepubHv
can party, if? placed in power, to
carry out all the principles of this
platform within the next four years.
We expect every Republican nominee
to either publicly indorse this entire
platform, ^jromjsing to do all that he
can, consistent with the office to
which he may be elected, to carry
out its principles, or else to make
a public statement before election of
those planks, or parts of planks
which he cannot or will not indorse.
- Aretas A. Saunders., 21 Edlie Ave?
nue, South Norwalk, Cijnn,
Encouragement for Aliens
Abundant opportunity and en?
couragement should be given to all
of foreign birth to learn our lan?
guage and history. Such well-mean?
ing immigrants should receive an
honorable certificate on attaining
full citizenship, and. communities
should make special effort to assist
such aspirants.?Charles H. Cran?
dall, Stamford, Conn. *
Test Loyaltv of Aliens
The Republican party; dedicated to
American ideals and their fulfillment,
declares its paramount purpose to be
tho vigorous enforcement of an
American policy for the American
people, and to that end it pledges
Congress to a sDeedy enactment of
measures regulating immigration to
safeguard the highest interests of
American citizenship through the ap?
plication of morality, educational and
loyalty tests as a condition, precc
dent to the granting: of naturaliza?
tion papers, which shall be subject,
to revocation under due process of
law.?H. R. B.
>f Repi
League Opposed, With or
Without Reservations \
_
Repeal of Prohibition and U. S.
Control of All Commodi?
ties Favored
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: I send you herewith my sug?
gestions as to w-tiat the planks in the
Republican platform should be.
1. To defeat the league of nations
agreement, with or without the reserva?
tions, and to stick to "the old American
policy of no entangling alliances with
European countries.
'_'. To repeal the national prohibition
amendment so that light wines and beer
may be manufactured and sold for
beverage purposes same as before, and
to make laws to allow whisky to be dis?
pensed so much a day to aMl who want it.
3. To make the United States Navy
the equal of any navy in the world; to
uphold the Monroe Dbvtrine; com?
pulsory military training for the youth
of the nation and the American mer?
chant marine that our goods may be
carried in American vessels, and there?
by increase American shipping.
4. To permit free speech when not
iblicans
radical nor Bolshevistic, and freedom
of the press; to increase our agricul?
tural and mineral production by de?
veloping the undeveloped farm land,
and to utilize the production therefrom.
5. To have government control of all
commodities so as to prevent profiteer?
ing in the same, and to standardize the
prices of all things by the government;
to uphold equal rights to all peoples
: regardless of race, creed or color; to
? uphold law and order at all times; to
make lynchings a Federal offense, *nd
! to distribute educational propaganda to
, prevent lynchings.
GEORGE W. BEATTEY.
49 West Seventy-second Street, City.
Military Training Called
Unnecessary Expense Now
To the Editor of The Tribune:
Sir: We have in America three
; million men, whose military training
qualifies them to withstand trny attack
1 from a foreign country during: the
next ten years. Universal military
service for that time would C03t
So.OOO.OOO.OOO. We believe in the re?
duction of our national debt and favor
the use of this money for that pur?
pose. T. B.
i 185 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn.
\i0'
150 Wardrobe Trunk:
Open-Top Model, as Illustrated
50
Specially Jp ?-L J | Regular
Priced J\J Value $65
rf&? SINGULARLY impor- usual price. A handsome model.
r% tant event?a wonder- fibre-covered on a sturdy basswood
rw"w frame. Cretonne-lined. Laid out
ful opportunity to purchase a wi,h utmost mo?crn convenience.
Wardrobe Trunk of the Chas. with space for every item of a man'i
WW7 if . j-,.- I L- U or woman's wardrobe. Tenhanger?;
.Wolf traditional high fivc gradualed drawer,. ihoe ^ock.
quality at greatly below the cis; laundry bag. Height, 40 ins.
On Sale, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
al all our Five Stores.
?CHAS. W. WOLF
I 225 BROADWAY 22 CORTLANDT ST. 102 NASSAU ST.
50 BROADWAY NEW YORK 58 CORTLANDT ST.
Our own Jelivery service insures same-day delivery.
J?HN D/MD
S??IN BlOChSmARtQoTtIES
Broadway at 32^ Street
Facing Greeley -Square
John David Presents
Overcoats Of O'Brien Cheviots
At A Mere Eighty-Five Dollars,
Though You'd Guess One Hundred
Old England And Ould Ireland In A
Pact Of Peace At Last! Just Off The
Pier?The Celebrated O'Brien Overcoat?
ings Woven In Ireland And Tailored
In England To Our Private Directions.
Raglan Shoulder Or Belted Effect;
Middling Weight; Topping For Spring?
time; Warm As The Heart Of An Irish
Colleen; Smart As London Knows How.
^ / s%"\ -
EXCLUSIVE, BUT NOT EXPENSIVE