Democratic Platform

Foreword had gone about that the Democratic platform would be much shorter than the Republican. Instead it turned out to be of about equal length--perhaps a little longer. Whereas the Republicans took 24 hours to prepare their platform--although much of it was practically prepared in advance --the Democrats spent four days on their platform, largely because of differences over the League and Klan planks.

There were only a few planks in each platform which did not have their counterparts in the other. The Republicans had planks on Economy, Reorganization of the Executive Branch of the Government, Repayment of Foreign Debts, Opposition to Government Entering Business, an Anti-Lynching Law. These have no specific treatment in the Democratic platform.

The following summary of the Democratic platform gives assertions in ordinary roman type; promises in italics. Beneath each plank in parenthesis is a condensation of the corresponding Republican plank, if any. Words and phrases of the originals are preserved as much as possible.

Wilson. Profound homage to the memory of Woodrow Wilson, whose spirit and influence will live through the ages.

To take up the standard which he bore.

(Similar reverence for the memory of Warren G. Harding.)

Principles. Democrats stand for equal opportunity for all; Republicans for special privilege. The Democratic Party stands for remedial legislation and progress. The Republican party stands still.

Democratic Rule, 1913-1921. Economic life quickened; no corruption; privilege uprooted; great leadership in a great war; reduction of tariff taxes; creation of Federal Trade Commission, Farm Loan system, Secretariat of Labor; Federal Reserve system; enactment of more effective, constructive, remedial legislation than the Republicans had done in a generation.

(Industry stagnant, etc.)

Republican Rule, 1921. Politics depraved; one Secretary disgraced, another incapable, a third shockingly unfit. Veterans' Bureau filled with fraud and neglect. Oil leases made criminally; censure of those who exposed crime. A vote for Coolidge is a vote for chaos.

(Industry active, credit sound, etc.)

Issues. Dishonesty; discrimination; extravagance; inefficiency; unbearable taxation; agricultural distress; high cost of living; the tariff; destruction of foreign markets; high cost of transportation.

Honesty. Ejection of the corrupt and substitution of honest officials.

(Prosecution of corrupt; new laws.)

League of Nations. The only hope for world peace is in organized efforts of nations. Under Democrats such a plan was devised and is functioning for 34 nations. There is no substitute for the League. The question should be taken out of politics.

Assistance in securing peace through the League of Nations and World Court. Entry into the League with reservations when a census-referendum, authorized by Congress, shows that the people so desire.

(Enter into World Court; keep out of League; more arms limitation when conditions are favorable.)

Tariff. The Fordney-McCumber Tariff is the most unjust, unscientific, dishonest in our history; is class legislation, increases cost of living two billion dollars, penalizes agriculture, in the long run benefits no one.

A tariff that will promote competition, prevent monopoly, yield a fair revenue.

(Fordney-McCumber Act a great benefit. A protective tariff for all parties, including farmers.)

Taxation. Republicans planned to reduce taxation $300,000,000 by relieving principally the largest incomes. The Democrats with progressive Republican aid reduced them $450,000,000, with more benefits for the small taxpayer.

A tax scheme in proportion to ability to pay; further tax reduction; abhorrence of the Mellon plan.

(Progressive reduction of taxes and scientific tax reform.)

Agriculture. The Republicans brought bankruptcy to farmers by: 1) isolation which prevented Europe recovering her normal conditions and demand for food, 2) prohibitive tariff which kept high prices of manufactured products which farmers buy, 3) high transportation rates.

Betterment by 1) International cooperation by direct official means to restore Europe's purchasing power, 2) adjustment of tariff so farmers can buy manufactures in a competitive market, 3) readjustment and lowering of transportation rates, 4) completion of internal waterway systems for cheaper transportation and development of water-powers for cheaper fertilizer, 5) stimulation of cooperative marketing, establishing of a Government export agency to prevent the export surplus from undermining home prices, 6) suitable credits, 7) reduction of the margin between the prices at which the farmer buys and at which he sells.

(Democrats destroyed balance between agriculture, industry and labor. Reduce taxes; lower freight rates; improve marketing; protective tariff on farm products; restore equality of prices between farmers' sales and purchases; Government assistance in cooperative marketing.)

Railroads. The Esch-Cummins Act of 1920 promised cheaper freight rates, improved service, better labor conditions, peace between employer and employees, fair return to railways on their investments. Democrats favor these aims but contend the Act has not achieved them.

Readjustment of freight rates giving lower rates to bulky, low-priced commodities, farm produce, coal, ore, etc., and placing the higher rates upon more valuable, less bulky freight.

(Scientific readjustment of rates by a Government commission, with a view to encouraging agricultural and basic industries; consolidation of roads; impartial tribunal to publish facts of labor disputes.)

Muscle Shoals. Use of the plant at once for manufacture of nitrates needed for munitions of war and especially for production of cheaper and higher grade fertiliser, without limit.

Credit and Banking. Republicans in 1920 demanded deflation, and within 18 months after the election, bank loans and discounts fell off five billions and currency in circulation over one and a half billions, resulting in the bankruptcy of farmers, in industrial depression, and in unemployment.

Administration of the Federal Reserve System, to stabilize industry, commerce, finance.

Reclamation. Homestead entrymen in reclamation projects on arid and semi-arid lands of the West have suffered from extravagant inefficiencies and mistakes of the Federal Government. The Reclamation Act of 1924, attached as a rider to the second deficiency bill, was eliminated by the Republican conferees in reporting the bill an hour before adjournment.*

Carrying out actively, efficiently, economically of reclamation projects and equitable adjustments of mistakes.

(Improved conditions in reclamation areas should result from new policies worked out by the Department of the Interior.)

Conservation. Recovery of oil reserves, prosecution of those public and private who took part in leasing them; revision of the water power act; retention of title in water power; public control and conservation of coal, iron, oil, timber; protection of migratory birds; reforestation.

(Development of natural resources only when needed; safeguards against waste, speculation and monopoly; prosecution of dishonest public servants; continuation of Water Power Act.)

Waters. Deep waterways to Gulf and Atlantic Ocean from the Great Lakes; Inland waterways, flood control, especially on Mississippi and Colorado Rivers; survey for these purposes; examination of licenses to be granted by the Federal Water Power Commission by Congress.

(Great Lakes-Atlantic and Great Lakes-Gulf waterways; surveys for flood control on the Colorado; continuation of Federal Water Power Act.)

Fraudulent Stock. Federal law to assist the states in enforcing their laws as to fraudulent stock promotion.

Monopolies. The Federal trade commission has unearthed many monopolies in restraint of trade. The administration has been largely indifferent.

Vigorous enforcement of existing laws against monopoly.

Aviation. Sustained development of Government and commercial aviation.

(Federal encouragement of commercial aviation.)

Labor. Labor is not a commodity, but is human. Democrats helped pass the Child Labor Amendment.

Encouragement of collective bargaining; laws regulating hours and conditions of labor; reciprocity in state laws regarding the product of convict labor; inauguration of public works in time of unemployment; cooperation with states in protecting women and children in industry.

(Protection of labor from undue exactions; ratification by states of the Child Labor Amendment; protection of women in industry; shorter hours; continued efforts of Federal agencies to aid workers in rehabilitation, finding employment, etc.)

Latin America. Mutual friendship with our fellow republics grows stronger. Democrats send cordial greetings.

(Republicans have secured more friendly relations with Latin America and have aided in solving the Chile-Peru controversy.)

Highways. Roads are essential to rural welfare; the Democrat have aided road building.

Continuance of Federal Aid.

(Continuance of Federal Aid.)

Mining. Mining is a great and basic industry. It has suffered.

Foster it.

(Continued aid.)

Necessities of Life. Governmental regulation of anthracite coal and other industries controlling the 'necessities of life.

(Government has no right to regulate prices. Control and mediations in labor disputes.)

Merchant Marine. An American built, owned and manned merchant marine is necessary for military safety and protection from excessive ocean freight rates. Republicans vacillated, and allowed the volume of American freight carried on American bottoms to decrease since the Democratic Administration.

Opposition to subsidies and handicaps for American ships; prevention of discrimination by American railroads against American ships; a strong American merchant marine, Government ownership and operation, not obstructing private development, as long as necessary for these ends.

(Strong American built, owned, manned Merchant Marine. Government operation of ships until they can be sold.)

Education. Ignorance is the enemy of freedom.

States should support schools with Federal advice and counsel.

(Federal advice; a Cabinet post of Education and Welfare.)

Civil Service. Republicans have violated principles of civil service by partisan removals, packing the Civil Service Commission, denying preference for ex-Service men.

Faithful compliance with the spirit of the law; extension of it to include internal revenue officers and others; preference for ex-Service men.

(Civil service has been improved. Extension to first, second, third class postmasters and prohibition enforcement [internal revenue subdivision] unit.)

Postal Employees. Adequate salaries for decent living conditions.

Elections. Setting forward the date of assembling of Congress after elections so lame ducks may not make laws; popular vote on Constitutional Amendments.

Probation. Extension of the probation principle to Federal Courts.

Women. Congratulations to women for their zeal and beneficial aid in politics.

Welcome to them in their share of Government control.

(Welcome to women as co-partners in politics and government.)

Ex-Service Men. Generous appropriations and sympathetic care in hospitalization, rehabilitation and compensation of veterans of all wars; humanizing of the Veterans' Bureau.

(No other country has spent so much money on her disabled veterans. Liberality for the disabled.)

Campaign Contributions. Predatory interests have supplied campaign funds to Republicans to buy legislative favors and administrative immunity.

Publicity at public expense before primaries and elections; limitation of size of contributions; revision of Corrupt Practices Act.

Narcotics. Drugs are a peril to youth.

Measures for educating, control and suppression of drug traffic at home and abroad.

Prohibition. Republicans have failed to enforce prohibition law, have trafficked in withdrawal permits, and protected violators.

Respect and enforcement for the Constitution and all laws.

(Full strength of the Government to enforce the Constitution and all laws.)

State Rights. Support of state vigor and power; opposition to nationalization of state functions and creation of unnecessary Federal agencies.

Immigration. Maintenance of Asiatic exclusion.

(Americanization; improvement of naturalisation laws.)

Philippines. Filipinos have demonstrated their capacity for self government.

Free them now in accordance with our pledge.

(Free the islands as soon as they will benefit by independence.)

Alaska. Under Republican Rule Alaskan development has ceased and the fisheries have been impaired.

Correction of evils; full territorial government such as that formerly enjoyed by territories now states.

(Continued development.)

Hawaii. Continued development of harbors, roads and the National Park.

(Continued Federal aid in harbor improvement; settlement of public lands by native Hawaiians.)

Virgin Islands. Legislation for their welfare.

Lausanne Treaty. The treaty barters away our legitimate rights and betrays Armenia.

Protection of American rights in Turkey, and fulfillment of the Wilson award to Armenia.

Greece. Cordial welcome to the sisterhood of Republics.

War. It is a relic of barbarism.

Drafting of all resources when man power is drafted.

(Drafting in war time of citizens and all needed resources.)

Army, Navy, Disarmament. Maintenance of an adequate army and navy until an agreement for a sweeping reduction of military and naval programs is obtained; obtainment of such an agreement.

(No weakening of Army, Navy at full strength under Disarmament treaties. A conference to limit land forces, submarines, gas, etc., when conditions are favorable.)

Ku Klux Klan. Adherence to Constitution, no laws restricting freedom of religion, speech, press, or peaceable assembly; separation of Church and state; obediance to the orderly processes of law; antagonism to religious and racial discussion.

(Unyielding devotion to the Constitution and the guarantees of civil, political and religious liberty therein contained.)

Peroration. "Affirming our faith in these principles, we submit our cause to the people."

* Even as a political statement this assertion is grossly unfair in that it implies that the Republicans desired to prevent the passage of the reclamation bill. The deficiency bill with the reclamation bill attached came up in the Senate for final passage on the last day of the session. Senator Key Pittman of Nevada, a Democrat, was enraged because a particular appropriation in the reclamation bill--one of many, but one in which he was interested--had been eliminated in joint conference. The rest of the Senate seemed ready to pass the combined bill. He declared that on account of the omission of the one project he would filibuster the bill to death. He practically did so, but in a last minute effort to save the deficiency bill even it the reclamation bill was doomed, the Republican conferees did report the deficiency bill without the reclamation rider. Senator Robinson, Democratic leader, assisted in the attempt. This bill was prevented from Passing by Senator Borah, a Republican, who declared he would not let the deficiency bill go through without the reclamation bill TIME, June 16).