Personal Platform

If John W. Davis had written the Democratic platform, much as Coolidge and LaFollette dictated their respective platforms, there would be no need to tabulate his opinions separately. The following is the platform which Mr. Davis wrote himself, as compiled from many utterances made here and there:

Labels. "We may leave our Republican opponents such terms as conservative and radical, progressive and reactionary, regular and insurgent, to describe or explain the bitter discord that divides their ranks.

"We are content with a nobler adjective. It is the glory of the Democratic Party to be known as the party of liberalism speaking for and in the name of the liberal thought of the Country."

Personal Liberty. "The liberty of the individual is being beaten down by the threatening encroachment upon the Constitution of a code of statutes to control the habits and morals of Americans, and the right of man to govern himself is being defeated.

"Personal liberty is the doctrine of self-restraint."

Republican Record. "What is the Republican record during the last three years? Every major bill offered or endorsed by the President has met defeat in Congress. . . They are still 'pillow fighting' on the World Court --something promised two years ago.

". . . We have made a peace with Germany that amounts to a second mortgage, when we should have been in on the first mortgage with the Powers we fought with.

"The Washington Conference is hailed as a milestone toward World Peace. . . It is a four-power pact be tween first-rate Powers, who utterly ignore the interest in the Pacific of other Powers, like Holland, for example, who has more interest in the matters dealt with in the four-power treaty than some of the Signatories. Such a treaty and such an alliance do not make for World Peace.

"Take the Dawes Report. Today, the Republicans are claiming credit for it. When Mr. Dawes was appointed, the White House issued a statement to the effect that the Administration assumed no responsibility for General Dawes's appointment, but appointed him because the Reparations Commission had asked for him. In other words, the President took the position of assuming no responsibility for General Dawes if his work on the Reparations Commission proved to be a flivver, but placed himself in a position to seize for the Republican Party credit for the appointment, if General Dawes succeeded. Is that courageous or intelligent foreign policy?"

League of Nations. "Stability of the world waits on three things--settlement of the amount of the German indemnity, restoration of order in Russia, and definition of America's attitude toward the world problems created by the War.

"Of course, the League of Nations is not perfect. No human instrument ever is. But there are two things about it--it is a beginning and it is the only one by which it is possible to secure the means for which it was created."

World Court "When the hour of calm reflection strikes, who will deny that the peace of America is by the side of the Permanent Court of International Justice, to which by example and precedent she has been so great a contributor?"

Russia. "Any compromise with the Bolshevist creed is but a league with Death."

Taxation. Five objects:

"1) To make taxation unnecessary, as far as possible, by reducing Government expense.

"2) To avoid increasing taxation by avoiding new Government expenses.

"3) To support to the limit the budget-making power of the Government.

"4) To revise the tariff on a competitive and revenue basis.

"5) To reduce the income-tax rate, not denying relief to a rich man because he is rich, but not forgetting the needs and responsibilities of the poor man.

"There is no freedom unless men may enjoy the fruits of their labor.

"There is no despotism equal to subtracting from a man's holding what he is unwilling to give.

"Most important of all the planks in the taxation platform is that the keynote of all Democratic policy, passing on any question of taxation, shall be to keep the road open for human energy and human initiative.

"The time has come to make a change between direct and indirect taxation. No longer can enough money be raised by the latter to support the Government. I submit that direct taxation is one of the fundamental Democratic principles.

"Under direct taxation, a taxpayer knows how much he is being taxed. He is vigilant and alert and sees to it that the money is not wasted."

Tariff. "The best way to get relief from the high costs of living is to scrap the vicious Fordney-McCumber Tariff Bill the Republicans put over. I hope to see a general reduction of all taxes."

Big Business. "My law practice is as dear to me as an artist's work is to him. I am happier than I have ever been right here practicing law. What lawyer wouldn't want them [potent clients] ? ' I have J. P. Morgan & Co., the Erie Railroad, the Guaranty Trust Co., the Standard Oil Co., and other foremost American concerns on my list. I am proud of them. They are big institutions, and so long as they ask for my services for honest work, I am pleased to work for them. Big business has made this country what it is. We want big business. But it must be honest. And a lawyer can be proud to tackle big problems for big business when all intentions are right and honest."

Miscellaneous. He favors: "The inauguration of the President and the Vice President and the convening of the new Congress within a few weeks after election, instead of on the following Mar. 4.

"The appointment of a special commission of the American Bar Association to codify the Federal statutes.

"An amendment to the Constitution permitting the President of the United States to veto specific items of an appropriation bill.

"The ratification of treaties by a majority vote of both houses of the National Legislature, instead of by a two-thirds Senate vote."