U.S. POLITICS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 30 June 1924, Page 7

U.S. POLITICS

DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. LEAGUE OF NATIONS. 81 CABLE—PREBB ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT NEW YORK, June 28. The platform of the Democrats was presented to the convention' to-day. An important item is a proposal for a national referendum on the question of the United States’ membersnip in-the League of Nations, which was approved by tfliitv-four votes to sixteen. In addition it contains fifty planks outlining the policy in the event of victory, but chiefly criticising the Republicans. The pledges include further tax reduction, revision of the tariff, legislation, restoring the farmer to economic equality with other industrialists, strict control and the conservation of the nation’s resources, Government control of the anthracite industry and all other corporations controlling necessaries, the operation of a Govern-ment-owned merchant marine so long as was necessary without obstructing the development of privately-owned United States flag ..shipping companies. The plank with reference to the League of Nations is causing endless controversy. The plank states that the Democratic Party pledges aIL its energies to outlawing the whole war system, and adds: “We refuse to believe that the whole slaughter of human beings on the battlefield is more necessary to man’s highest development than .killing by individuals. The only hope of world peace and economic recovery lies in organised efforts by the nations combining to remove the cause of war and substituting law and order for violence. Under Democratic leadership a practical plan could be brought into the League. It is now operating and has been for the past four years, while the United .States Government has had no foreign policy, and consequently has delayed the restoration of political and economical conditions, which impaired self-respect at home and diminished prestige abroad, curtailed foreign commerce and mined agriculture. It is of supreme importance, to civilisation and mankind that America be placed on the right side on the greatest moral question of all times.” The Democratic party declares that the next Administration should do all in its power to secure that moral leadership in a family of nations, “which in the province of God we are called upon to assume. There is no subtsitute for the League of Nations as an agency operating for world peace, and therefore we declare that in the interests of peace we will establish a permanent foreign policy under which these su-preme-questions will be settled and will not be subject to change. It is wise and necessary to remove this question from party politics that we take a census of the American people by a referendum, advisory to Congress and firee of all contentious political questions, the question being: Shall the United States become a member of the League of Nations under such reservations to the covenant of the League as the United States may care to establish? Immediately upon an affirmative vote we will cafry out such mandate.” The fight over the of Nations consumed more time than any other plank, Mr Newton Baker (Seer. Mary for War under the late President Wilson) held out to the last for an unequivocal stand with reference T o the United States entering the League of Nations. Mr William Jennings Brian made a strong plea for the referendum. He wanted to make it possible for every Republican to vote for the League, irrespective of how he might vote in November. He wanted to get a vote of the American people that would force the Republican Senate to carry out the Dmocratic principles ’of the league. The League disposed of, the committee devoted itself to the Ku Klux Klan, with every indication that majority and minority reports on t)iequestion specifically naming the Klan will be submitted, throwing the question into the open convention.