Peace-Time Preparedness Urged as Platform Plank
isserts Nation
Should Adopt
Military Policy
gepnblicans Are Aaked to
? pledge Party to Measure
for Sufficient Army and
Sea Force Establishment
program Before People
0111 Should Be Based on
Foreign Interests That
May Result in Friction
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The United States never has j
had any real policy of military and
' naval preparedness. At thia time, if
i:?tory is to repeat itself, there is
<m8ll likelihood of the adoption of any
reaiiy intelligent program, but it will
l,t a great mistake to neglect thia op
^rtunity to attempt to procure the
tdcption of some rational policy. If
tttfting else were obtained by the
carrying out of the measures suggested
Irtio'w, it would at least get the facts,
Cn which the decision of the people
should be based, before them, at a time
when they are more likely to give them
intelligent cor.sideration than they
wiil'for a long time in the future, if
this chance be aliowed to pass.
The following is submitted aa a
plank for the Republican platform:
The United States should have such
rceasure 0f military and naval estab
tishment as will protect 0ur interests
from any aggression that may be
re3sortabiy anticipated.
The Republican party -pledges itself
. to take the following steps to deter
^ mine and iay before Congress and the ,
people the program necessary to pro?
cure this end.
A?The President, with the Senate j
and House committees on Foreign i
Affairs, shall draw up a statement of j
our interest* that are likely to cause
frirtion with foreign powers, rhe i
power or powers involved, and the '
probable attitude of the United j
States ir. case of friction.
B?This statement to be submitted j
to a board of senior officers of the ;
Army and Navy, which board will draw !
sp ar.d submit to the President a mini- I
Eurn program of the measures needed j
to protect our interests. This program i
to be based on the statement provided j
for in the preeeding paragraph.
C?This program to be submitted to I
the Senate and House committees on i
Military and Naval Affairs, who will \
then submit their estimate of how j
much of the program is acceptable to I
the people.
D?The President shall then cause j
to be drawn a bill for the organiza- j
tion of our military and naval estab- !
iishment. This bill, together with the
reports provided for in paragraphs '
A. B, and C, to be published as a pub- ;
? document for the information of \
:''.' Congress and the people.
Th'3 plank pledges the party to but I
?-?: things?a study of tho problem by !
- those co: i ned in its solution.
Sational a3 this may seem, it never !
aas been done, or if it has, the results '
have never been put before the people
with whom the decision will rest.
B. E. CARTER.
"1 Perkins Hall, Cambridge, Mass.
-1 ?
Let Past Record Guide
i
Seleetion of Nominee
Nomination of Man Known to
Sympathize With Platform
Policies l rged
I* the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: .In the words of our Constitu?
tion, fJial ? . icnt of government
was "ordained and established bv the
Pecple of the United .States." ln that
Constitution the peopie distributed
tne powers of government. The
executive power they vested in a
President. But the legislative power
taey reserved unto themselves, by
"esting it in representatives of thsir
o*n, the people's choice. ?
The President has power to do cer?
tain things only "by and with the ad
TOe and consent" ot* the people.
Therefore, the people reserved unto
ttemselves the balance of power.
Let the people look first to the
principles of Jthe platform, and then
me their ciioice of whom they shall
iioost onto that rlatform, on his past
raown sympathies with those prin
c:P-es rather than. on pledges or
PWmiaea to carry out those principles.
JW people have not even vested in
r'ra the power to fulfill thoso
prom:ses.
Our present experience should teach
?, that, by placing so much stress
u?on the powers of one man, we aro
?Rvuing that autocracy which we
'fugnt in our Constitution to elimi
"?te. ROBERT W. SCRANTON.
100 Portsea Street, New Haven.
Conditions of the
Platform Contest
The Tribune invites you to write
Planks for a Republican platform
?nd to write letters about planks
Proposed by other readers through
't* columna.
por the best planks and letters
">? Tribune offers these prizes:
*<>* the best plank.$500.00
p? the second best plank.. 250.00
p? each of the eight next
^?st planks . 100.00
F? the beet letter a daily
Wlie of. 10.00
F?r the beat letter ln the
*hole competition . 100.00
Tne Tribune will make up a plat
?nn of ten planks to be deterrained
J your votes, The ten issues re
?*Wng the most votes will be the
??nk?. The ten planks that beat
?J>wss the chosen Issues will ba
****** ibr the prtse awards.
E?ch plank ls liralted to 100 worda.
Y* two planks or letters of equal
n?nt the shorter will be chosen.
Every plank and lettep must ht&T
?? name and address of the aender,
"-nough a nom de plume will ba
WWished lf the writer desires.
The contest will close at midnlfht,
JWB 30, 1920. Manuscrlpta wiU not
"? "rtturaed. ,
Ths Jndgw of the contest wifl be
jjj* ?* Tho Tribuna's editora. They
tSIw their d*d?1oM <? ?oond
*?"?? *n<i brerity, clearnasa and
^??th ef statoaunt.
Some Suggested Planks
Among the mass of suggestiom for planks in the Republican
platform are the following:
Devclop Human Resources
We pledge ourselves to niiate
and support every consistent meas?
ure tto protect and develop the
human resources of our own coun?
try and k>f other nations.?Reid
Daviea.
Four Per Cent Beer
Believing that the Eighteenth
Amendment goes too far in tho
attempt to destroy an evil and
that it is not what the public in
general wanted, we promise to amend
it so as to allow 4 per cent beer
to be manufactured.-?T. Chaplowe,
87 Asylum Street, New Haven, Conn.
Enlightened Self-Interest
Tho Republican party affirms its
adherence to the fundarnental prin?
ciples of individual initiative, pri?
vate property and enlightened self
niterest. These constitute the basis
of past achievement, the foundation
of future progress and the only
sound program for the advancement
of the best interests of all at the ex
pense of none.?Wayne V. Myers, In
structor in Economics, New York
University.
Uphold Monroe Doctrine
We favor. the restoration of the
Monroe Doctrine in its fullest integ
rity, and denounce the misguided and
futilo effort8 that depart from the
policy of keeping clear from entang
ling alliances, laid down by our first
President..?H. van H. Proskey, 86
Bay view Avenue, Port Washington,
IS. Y.
Prevent Industrial Conflict
The rights of the wholo American
people aro paramount to those of any
organization, either capitalistic or
labor, and we pledge ourselves to the
enactment of laws that will prevent
conflict between the interests of the
whole American people and the ac?
tivities of any organization; to the
enactment of laws safeguarding the
right of any man to labor at his
chosen vocation without being dis
criminated against because of ht3
membership or non-membership in
any organization, labor or other
wise; to make all organizations,
whether of labor or capital, equally
liable, both civilly and criminally,
tor their acts.?B. V., Arcadia, Fla.
Return to the Constitution
In reviewing the Democratic Ad?
ministration \vo find a reckless dis
regard for human rights, an overrid
ing of the Constitution, a wild ex
travaganco in spending the people's
money, and an effort to destroy the
autonomy and independenco of the
United States by ir.ternationalism,
and a growing disregard of property
rights, excessive and burdensome
taxes, bungling foreign policies, all
of which is un-American and uncon
stitutional, and we desire to get back
again to the constitutional way of
conducting public business and* our
international relations. ? Hedley
Vickers jr., Ivyland, Pa.
Lift Bars on Banking v
We protest against unnecessary re
strictiona upon business in general
and the banking business in particu?
lar. We gravely object to limiting
bankers in the power to emit prop
erly secured (not legal tender) cur?
rency to any one willing to receive it.
To remove this disability of our
bankers we nrge the repeal of Section
6,289 of the Compiled Statutes of
1018 and favor an amendment to the
Federal Constitution guaranteeing
tho right to found private banks of
issue.?Edgar Dayton Brinkerhoff, 88
North Nineteenth Street, East
Orange, N. J.
Universal Military Training
Confirming Lincoln's principles of
Americanism that this is a govern?
ment of the people, for the people
and by the people, it is believed that
the policy of military training is
one of the best means of creating in
the young men of the nation an idea
that it is a government maintained
by their efforts. Furthermore, this
training is democratic. It brings the
young men from various section3 of
the country together on a common
basis, for a common purpose. We,
therefore, advocate military training
for boys between eighteen and
twenty-one years of age for a period
of six months, at Federal expense,
and under its supervision.?C. N.
Stabilize Value of Dollar
We believe the first duty of this
country should be toward the pro?
tection of life and growth in pros
perity of its own citizens at home
or abroad. We deplore the present
inflation and pledge ourselves to
stabilizdng the purchasing power of
the dollar.?Paul R. Genymer, 70
Parkwood Boulevard, Hudson, N.Y.
Engiish in the Schools
The public school system, being
free to foreign as well as native chil?
dren, and the cost being defrayed
by taxing all the people, no language
should be taught but Engiish. The
foreign-born should be carefully in?
structed in Americanism and the
principles of our government, that
they may fully understand the privi
leges they enjoy.?Chauncey Holt,
Orlando, Fla.
Six Months' Pay as Bonus
We advocate a bonus equlvalent
to at least six months' pay to be
granted to all who were engaged in
active service of the United States
subsequent to the declaration of war,
April, 1911. Bonds should be issucd
to meet the payment of the amount
required.?Sadie Kost, 472 East
134th Street.
Better Industrial Relations
We afflrm that the problem of capi?
tal and labor is not a class strug
gle?the laborer investing his sav?
ings becomes a capitallst?but rival
ry for the profits and management
of industry between those who man
age and those who labor. We urge
the appointment of representatives
of management, labor and the pub?
lic to investigate the problem and
formulate a practical system of in?
dustrial relations, just to all. We
advocate legislation recommended to
make more definite and articulate
the organized understanding so
evolved from which, principally,
eventual harmony must come.-?
D. F. II.
Individual Income Tax
We believe that taxes should be
lowered in a graduated so?ile over j
the period of world reconstruction,
until normal times return, and we
adhcre to the policy of an individual
income tax.?H. G. Hutchinson, 706
Riverside Drive.
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National Greed
Called Menace
To Democracy
Prosperity and Happiness
of People Advocated as
Substitute for the Mere
Gratification of "Glory"
Europe Is Sad Example
U. S. Struggle Against In
troductioii of Dynastic
Ideals Held Worth Price
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: A strong plea should be made
for the application of common sense to
national concerns, for the abandonment
of the old notion that a nation lives
for the gratification of national greed
or "glory" and for the substitution of
the prosperity and happiness of the
people as the end of national existence.
It is not ensy to realize the strong hold
which the rcsiduum of ancient ideas
retains in the countries in which, to
adopt fclicitous antitheses, dynastic
principles still contest the field with
democracy. Even where the people
have obtained moro or less control of
the government, the mouthpieces of
public opinion remain bound by the
spirit of the past.
Why is the pressure to look upon
every trespass as an insult to some
piece of bunting deserving only of an
instant declaration of war so strone
among the armed nations of Europe?
It Is not from love for the true Inter?
ests of the people. It is because the
nlgntmnre of obsolete ideas still rides
tho expression of public opinion.
Individual life haa been compared to
a game of chess with an invisible an
tagonist, who knows every move on the
board and takcs remorseless advantage
of a-false movo to crush the one who
makes it. Nations must pay the same
pon?:uy' * ^The erowing commercial
wealth of Europe has been made an in
strument of gratifying national vanity
and of all the foibles of the modern
representatives of the former privi
leged classes. And thus the race be?
tween European peoples has been
brought to a deadlock; the contestants,
with energies chilled and congested by
debts, taxntion and the nameless
weights arising from uncertainty of
peace, are unable either to proceed or
to get out of the way of others.
Their natural development has been
arrested and their timo is occupied in
watching one another, and in holding
every muscle in tense readiness to
spring at some neighhor'a throat at the
first sign of hostility. Is this the truo
end of national life? We may see, too,
the absolute profit of the enormous ex?
penditure of our war. The reason for
it was tho blind but correct national
instinct that the introduction of inde
pendent states, international relations
and dynastic ideas into fche territory
now occupied by the United States
must be prevented at any cost for the
sake of the people to all future genera
tions. ELLA M. IIESS,
Merrick, L, I.
-?-, "*?
Bar Strikes Periling Public
The Republican party denies the
right to strike or lock out against
the public order, safety and general
welfare, as inimical to the best in
tei-ests of this . Republic?Richard
Marlowe, attorney, Realty Building,
Elmira, N. Y.
To-Day's Prize Letter
To the Editor of The Tribune.,
Sirt Americanlzation is one of the
leading planks suggested for the Re?
publican party platform. It is so
large a term as to be vague unless
closely defined. In this letter I wish
to speak of it solely in its direct
connection with enfranchisement of
foreigners. The Republican party
has stood for woman's suffrage.
Many of its members are now recom
mending through these columns com
pulsory citizenship of aliens within
fivo years of immigration. While be
lieving in the principle of universal ?
suffrage, let us not needlessly in?
crease the un-American vote.
If our dcmocracy is to preserve
its "Americanism," than the voters,
the foundation of the government,
must not only bo able to speak, read
and write Engiish, that they may
become acquainted with our laws,
customs and problems, but must havo
becomo American in their outlook
to such an extent that they feel In
Reaflirm Monroe Doctrine
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The platform of the Republican
party in the coming campaign should
state positively the true American in
terpretation of the Monroe Doctrine,
which is the protection of the people of
the other nations of this hemisphere
from foreign aggression. Wo should
alienably ldentified with this coun?
try. The moment we compel citizen?
ship by threat of expulsion we open
the door to citizens whose American?
ism is only bo deep as their sense
of personal advantage, business or
what not, in remaining in the United
States. Are we not better, off in hav?
ing such people, if they stay, de
prived of the power of the vote?
Would the goal not be more nearly
reached by compelling all immigrants
to learn Engiish, offering them free
education, and at the end of five
years, if they could not pass an ex?
amination in reading, writing and
the principles of our government, by
enforcing their deportation? May
we not rely on the influence of such
education to create the American
point of view enough in the desir?
able to render them eager for citizen?
ship?
Let the Republican party stand for
Americanism through the increase of
the American and not the alien vote.
POLLY GUY DYKE.
repudiate the fear-breeding and mis
chief-making interpretation of Wood
row Wilson, as expressed by him in
an address before the second Pan
American Scientific C?ngress, Janu?
ary 5, 1916, an interpretation which
can only inspire distrust in'the hearts
of the people of the Latin Americas.
ALBERT SANDFORD.
313 West 141st Street.
Develop Onr Air Service
Plea Made Against Congres?
sional Action Abandoning
Preparedness
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: One of the planks should deal
with the army and navy air service.
Before the war this country had no
air service worthy of the name, but
under pressure it succeeded in build?
ing up as fine a personnel as any of the
nations engaged. It also developed
a wonderful engine and was well
started on the road to success in the
aviation lino when the armistice was
signed.
What happened then ? What has
happened after every war in which
we have been engaged? A great howl
goes up?"Cut the cxpenses! What's
the use of keeping up an expensive
service that will naver be used? This
is the last war, anyway; it's just a
waste!"
lt almost makes a peaceful, church
going citizen swear. We have gona
to the expense of building up and de
veloping a great and invaluable branch
of our army and navy?and it is going
to rot for lack of a little money. Which
is the worse waste in the long run??
letting an organization costing hun
dreds of millions of doilars go to
pieces, and then when the next war
comes spending and learning all over
again while thousands of lives are lost
through lack of preparedness?or,
spending just a few millions to keep
it going on a basis where it always
will be ready for instant action and up
to the minute in development? A boy
of ten could give you the answer, and
yet Congress, under the pressure of
the "cut the cost" wail, makes value
less what might guarantee peace ia
our country for centuries.
AUSTIN D. HIGGINS,
North Cohocton, N. Y.
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