seeking the honor and advantage of running the Government for the good of the country and for the incidental benefit of a certain number of persons who wish to hold office. Mr. Bryan was not the only distinguished Democrat who visited the Chicago Convention. Mr. and Mrs. McAdoo were welcomed as honored guests by the genial manager of the great show (Mr. Upham, of Chicago, Treasurer of the National Committee), as was the Hon. David R. Francis of Missouri, not to mention various other Democrats. In similar manner, any prominent Republican visitors who may happen along will doubtless be treated with ample courtesy at San Francisco. It would look as if the political pendulum might swing clear through and put the Republicans in full power. But the Democrats have made a record of great achievement since 1913, and they will be strong enough this year to profit a good deal by any serious mistakes made on the other side. Mr. Homer S. Cummings, Chairman of the National Committee, will make the keynote oration and will of course speak without apology for the two four-year terms of President Wilson and the three two-year periods of Democratic control in Congress. There will be no occasion for recriminating charges in this year's campaign, whether against parties or candidates. Neither party will be under Wall Street control, nor will either one be Bolshevistic. They are not far apart on the tariff; they do not differ appreciably on questions of money, taxation, and finance; there is little difference between them on questions of army and navy policy, or relations with Europe. The Mexican problem is in no sense one for partisan treatment. The voters have simply to decide whether or not they think that the Republican party may now deal more efficiently with most of the problems before us than the party which has held executive power since March, 1913, and which for six years was also in control of Congress.

Mr. Wilson

T

The Democratic platform at Provides the San Francisco will be constructed Platform by a method radically different from that which the Republicans had adopted. Every important section or clause of the Republican platform had been made the subject of a great deal of preliminary conference. Never in the history of one of the great parties, it may be claimed, had so much effort been made to give just expression to party opinion upon the great questions of

Harris & Ewing

HON. HOMER S. CUMMINGS, OF CONNECTICUT, CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

(Who will be temporary chairman at San Francisco and. make the keynote speech)

the day as in the preparation of this year's Republican platform. Such a method is more available for the party out of power than for the party in control of the Government. It would have worked better for the Republicans if the present Congress were Democratic. As matters stand, the Democrats can attack the recent record of the Republicans in Congress, while the Republicans criticize the Democratic Administration. President Wilson has been so completely the spokesman of his party as well as the master of its practical policies that it would have been quite out of the question this year to have tried to frame a Democratic platform on the Republican plan of inquiry and conference. The President has proceeded by definite acts and clear utterances to provide his party in advance with all the essential parts of its campaign program.

state of peace legal as well as actual. President Wilson, on May 27, had sent to Congress a ringing and indignant veto message culminating in the following sentence:

Such a peace with Germany-a peace in which none of the essential interests which we had at heart when we entered the war is safeguardedis, or ought to be, inconceivable, as inconsistent with the dignity of the United States, with the rights and liberties of her citizens, and with the very fundamental conditions of civilization.

Thus the President had provided the San Francisco Convention with the full record upon which to take its position as regards the ending of the war and the making of peace. The adjournment of Congress, not to assemble again until December 6, was doubtedly a matter of immense relief and satisfaction to President Wilson. When Congress is not in session, it is virtually nonexistent as part of the working Government.

Retention

of

un

Although Congress had been practically unanimous in both War Power Houses in voting to repeal about sixty war-time measures, many of which had conferred unusual power upon the President, this desirable proceeding was made of no effect through what is termed a "pocket veto." This means that the bil! fails if the President does not act upon it while Congress is still in session. The repeal was voted only a day or two before adjournment; and thus the President retains all of this war-time powers until Congress meets again next December. At that time Congress will either pass the bill over a presidential veto, or it will take effect within a certain number of days if the President does not act one way or the other. The retention during another half year of extraordinary war powers by the President as against the judgment of both parties in Congress was a disappointment to the country, although not involving the prospect of any improper or unjust use of authority.

tive which has actuated this Congress is political expediency rather than lofty purpose to serve the public welfare." He proceeded to specify congressional neglects and failures, especially in respect to remedies for the high cost of living. This sharp attack upon the Republican Congress provides another keynote for the San Francisco convention. From the President's standpointand quite correctly-the Presidential campaign is the functioning of a great debating society, carrying on intensively through a series of weeks. For purposes of debate, the President has been creating a strong, logical position. Ratify the treaty, says the President, and then peace comes in a legal way to America as it has already come to the Allied countries and to Germany. Ratify the treaty, and the war-time legislation will follow into the discard of itself, without congressional repeal. The President's position is always tenable for purposes of debate.

It had finally passed a very good law providing for the introduction of a budget system. The President on June 4 vetoed the budget measure because of one detail in which it was held that the powers of the President over appointments and removals were somewhat abridged. If there could have been a more useful coöperation between Congress and the President about measures of this kind, the country could have had its budgetary legislation. It would probably have been quite sufficient if the President had signed the bill and had at the same time sent a letter to the committee chairmen requesting the slight alteration regarding the removal of a certain budgetary official that Congress would readily have adopted as an amendment.

Republican

Mr. Mondell, as Republican Economy floor leader, claimed for the Republican Congress a remarkable record of retrenchment and economy. He pointed out the fact that eight appropriation bills that had failed to secure final passage at the end of the Sixty-fifth (Democratic) Congress on March 4 of last year, had been passed by the new Republican Congress in its opening session with a scaling down that aggregated almost one billion dollars. He further claimed that the appropriation bills now passed for the coming fiscal year have been reduced by almost one and a half billion dollars, as compared with the estimates submitted to Congress by the (Democratic) executive departments. In the debate over the high cost of government, both parties will make the best use they can of figures that go quite beyond the grasp and understanding of the average citizen. Mr. Wilson criticizes the failure of Congress to improve the tax laws, but the Republicans claim that Democratic methods of administration are responsible for the terribly high cost of government, to meet which it is difficult to secure a satisfactory solution of the taxation problem. The country will not be able as a result of the work of the great campaign debating society to settle problems of public finance and fiscal policy in detail. It will only be able to decide which party upon the whole it would prefer to trust during the next four years with the heavy responsibilities of an economic kind that the business life of the country must meet as a consequence of the war. We shall need a wise and capable President and Cabinet on the one hand, and on the other a Congress

Underwood & Underwccd

HON. THOMAS R. MARSHALL, OF INDIANA, WHO IS IN THE EIGHTH YEAR OF HIS SERVICE AS VICEPRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

(Mr. Marshall's popularity is widespread and not confined to his own party. He is not an active candidate, but has been much mentioned as a possible head of the Democratic ticket this year)

enjoying good working relations with the Administration. Above all else, we ought as a result of this year's congressional and presidential campaign to secure a breaking of the deadlock that has been so disastrous to the country for more than a year past.

The Candidates

Soon after this number of the at REVIEW is distributed the reSan Francisco sults of the Democratic Convention will be known to everybody. We are not taking the risk, therefore, of making prophecies. It is not disputed that Mr. McAdoo's prospects of nomination have almost wholly overshadowed those of any other candidate, and that he will be strongly in the lead on the first ballot. If the majority rule rather than the two-thirds rule were to govern the convention, it would be safe enough to make a confident prediction. The Attorney-General, Mr. Palmer, will doubtless stand very high in the opening ballots; and his good record places him among the foremost public men of our de

We are publishing elsewhere a brief article upon Governor Cox, of Ohio, in his work for improved State administration. Somewhat vaguely in the background is the admirable figure of John W. Davis, of West Virginia, now Ambassador at London; while some of Mr. Hoover's friends who were disappointed at Chicago have been saying that in case of a deadlock the Democrats at San Francisco might adopt the flaming banner of their hero. But when the list is canvassed, the party is likely to find that the Hon. William G. McAdoo has the most points in his favor.

America and

The British and French press the has commented variously, but Needs of Europe upon the whole rather anxiously, on the Republicans at Chicago. The absorbing question, however, was that of obtaining full and consistent control of the American Government; and the opposition to the present administration was not due to the idea that President Wilson is more devoted to the maintenance of friendship with Great Britain and France than a Republican Administration would be. Ambassador Jusserand, who has gone to France for a vacation, can surely testify that America will be friendly to France, no matter which party wins. Meanwhile, the new British Ambassador, Sir Auckland Geddes, with his instinct for politics and his frank and open manners, is not only doing much on his part to promote good will, but is also learning much to reassure him as to American senti

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

From the Daily Star (Montreal)

[A story without words, the characters being Uncle Sam, John Bull, and starving Central Europe]

ment: There are practical ways by which, with no serious burden to ourselves, we could have been of immediate help to Europe in the present season. We are publishing, from the pen of Mr. Henry P. Davison, an outline of the method he has been advocating for a number of weeks for stimulating the revival of European industry by loans here and there to provide raw material or machinery, or whatever things are most needed. Mr. Eliot Wadsworth, out of ample experience and observation abroad, has, at our request, explained the economic paralysis that stretches from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Americans obviously cannot now deal with this situation until after November; but the need will be even more intense, and must not be ignored. Furthermore, that America will in due time be a member of the League of Nations is known by all public men, and that quite irrespective of this year's election.

The Bolshevist Trade

Our readers will be interested in what Mr. Simonds writes for Propaganda us this month on the German parliamentary elections, to which he rightly attributes great importance. There has been shifting of party groups, and it remains to be seen whether or not two strong coalition groups will be evolved. Whether Germany is to be Socialistic or Reactionary is not yet determined. Mr. Simonds also discusses the war between Bolshevist Russia and Poland, and he expresses what we are inclined to regard as a just sympathy for the claims of Poland to better frontiers than the Paris Conference had undertaken to establish. He proceeds to criticize the London negotiations beween Mr. Lloyd George and the Bolshevist agents for resumption of trade relations. Mr. Simonds interprets the reasons why England wishes peace and commerce with the Bolshevists, and why France opposes such a course. The American Federation of Labor, in its meeting in annual session at Montreal in the middle of June, took the strongest possible ground against any relations between the United States Government and the Bolshevist dictatorship in Russia. Our Secretary of State, Mr. Bainbridge Colby, sent an illuminating statement of the Russian situation to the Federation leaders in response to a request for information. The Federation, in many of its positions, is sound and wise, although it fails to appreciate the fact that most of those who would do away with railroad and coal strikes I would at the same time fully provide for

recognizing all just claims on the part of workers. In respect to the Russian situation, and mainly also in respect to immigration policies, the American Federation of Labor expresses opinions worthy of full regard.

West Indies and Canada

Will Canada and the British West Indies form a political union? A movement in that direction is hinted at in this number of the REVIEW (page 69) by Sir Patrick T. McGrath, of Newfoundland. At any rate the conference that met on June 1 at Ottawa, in which the Canadian government and those of the British possessions in and near the Caribbean took part, discussed closer trade relations with each other, and the cementing of such bonds can hardly fail to result in improved political relationships. This may relationships. This may be looked upon as a natural development within the federation of self-governing peoples which constitutes the British Empire of to-day. Representatives of British West Indian trade interests were warmly welcomed in Canada last month. The picture at the top of this page shows a group of these visitors at Toronto.

oath of office as provisional President, and within a few days it was announced that elections for Congress would be held on August 1 and for constitutional President on September 5. General Obregon, who remains the military dictator to all intents, has stated that the army will be materially reduced. He seems disposed to cultivate friendly relations with the United States, and has said that he would have the international line as free from armament as the American-Canadian boundary.

Attitude
of the

United States

The American public, on its part, is ready to take Obregon at his word, provided he gives evidence of a sincere desire to rid his country of the curse of militarism and begins to develop its resources in a sane and orderly way. The Spanish novelist, Blasco Ibañez, testifies that militarism has been even a greater evil in Mexico than it ever was in Germany. The United States would rejoice to see her neighbor to the south resume the arts of peace and profit by the rewards thereof. An intelligent, forward-looking administration of Mexican affairs from now on will have no stronger moral support from any quarter than from the American people and the Government at Washington, without distinction of party. The Senate subcommittee on Foreign Relations, headed by Senator Fall, has made a thorough investigation of our relations with Mexico. On May 31 it submitted a report recommending that the article in the Mexican constitution providing that subsoil products, meaning particularly oil, shall remain the property of the Mexican Government, shall not apply to