THE IMMORALITY OF IGNORANT VOTING Writing in the Kansas State News, Hon. Charles Stephens gives this advice: "If you should decide to try to learn facts about those in charge of our government, which are not published in the big daily papers, what would you read? What paper could you take which is not controlled editorially by New England's industrialists? There are two sides to every question and nearly all our big dailies give the New England side. Where may we get the best there is published on the other side? The writer recommends THE SEARCHLIGHT ON CONGRESS, published in Washington, D. C., by Lynn Haines, one of America's greatest students and writers along those lines. He tells what the big papers fail to print. It is morally wrong to vote ignorantly." During 1926 The Searchlight will try to do a better job than ever before. Your help is essential to its success. Subscribe now! Subscription, $2.00 a year. THE SEARCHLIGHT ON CONGRESS Lenox Building Washington, D. C. T HE farmers are in revolt-politically. There isn't any question about it, nor of the result in terms of politics. That is why this number contains considerable material bearing on the subject. A prominent and influential Illinois agriculturist, whose name for the present must be withheld, writes in part as follows: "I received a copy of your book, 'Your Servants in the Senate,' yesterday and have read it all. "It is needless to say that I have been amazed and appalled at many things that have occurred in both Houses of Congress. For example, the changed attitude in the House since the last session as regards the provisions of the revenue bill was simply incomprehensible to me-even after reading the speech of Congressman Frear and others. Your book helps one to look more deeply into the deplorable situation, and yet the servility and lack of independence on the part of so many of the members is almost unbelievable. "It is truly a humiliating and nauseating mess and your contention, to the effect that 'we have become incapable of righteous indignation' seems to be particularly applicable to Illinois. "I believe the time is near at hand when there will be a political upheaval in the Middle West-particularly if the present Congress refuses to enact legislation that will give the farmer relief and lift him out of his present intolerable condition. In fact, I am convinced that discontent among the farmers was never so wide-spread as at the present time. And they are really in earnest in their demand for 'Equality for Agriculture.' "The whole trouble comes from the fact that because of certain influences brought about by the power of wealth, politics and organization by certain classes or groups, natural economic laws no longer function normally. "I am especially interested in the farmers' problems but am quite hopeless of securing any relief from either of the old parties, due to the influence which seems to control them both." "I am tremendously interested in the work you are doing. It should be given the widest possible publicity. If a political break comes, you will have occasion to get out additional editions of your book." T "Your Servants in the Senate" HIS BOOK should be in the hands, and mind, of every American voter. A flood of letters are coming, from all over the country, expressing without exception that conclusion. For example Mathew Page Andrews, of Baltimore, pays us the high compliment of linking its usefulness with that of Claude G. Bowers' "Jefferson and Hamilton." He writes: "All present political, economic and social problems have their roots in the past, and Patrick Henry said: 'I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience.' "I could not imagine a better combination for reading in regard to the lessons of the past and the problems of the present, than the book you have prepared on 'Your Servants in the Senate,' together with the recent volume of Mr. Claude G. Bowers entitled 'Jefferson and Hamilton.' It is positively astonishing how many of the problems faced by Jefferson and Madison and the founders of the Republic are problems that we are facing today. "While historical parallels and analogies are never mathematically exact and the attempt to draw them dangerous, the parallel in this case is more striking than I could have thought possible. These two books, associated with each other, would make for sound political thinking. Bowers shows how Jefferson and Madison and their associates were just in time to prevent the Republic from falling into the hands of a reactionary Federal autocracy of wealth and position; and your book points to the recurrence of the same political phenomena as evidenced in the strangle-hold that special privilege is securing upon our Federal government. This strangle-hold may be broken and only by the same sound methods. This process should be hastened by the education of the public and by organized and intelligent opposition on the part of the people." Says Wallace Campbell, of Bismarck, N. Dak.: "Your book 'Your Servants in the Senate' is a most masterly production. It should be in the hands of every voter. Its facts are unanswerable and its conclusions unavoidable. It is a 'Melloncholy' tribute to the dominating force in Government Administration. I congratulate you on the thought, assemblage and presentation of the mass of facts involved." * From Texline, Texas, comes this opinion, the writer being R. J. McGowan: "I have received and read with a deep interest your wonderful book-'Your Servants in the Senate.' Rottenness is no name for the conditions exposed by you. "Your book should be in the library of every home, and should be read in the public schools. "I believe the policy as outlined by you needs no improvement and, if carried out, would in a few years' time restore the United States to constitutional government. I hope to live to see this done." * * Florence E. Allen, Ohio's great woman jurist, writes: "You have a wonderful outlay of material in it, and it does seem as though with the use of the facts you set out a gread deal could be accomplished. It is a book that ought to be in the hands of everyone who is interested in public affairs." * * * Says Ethlyn DeArlington, of Dayton, Ohio: "If I were able to do it I would place a copy in the hands of every voter in the United States." * * Tom Ayres sends this vigorous comment from Mitchell, South Dakota: "I have just finished reading your recent book, 'Your Servants in the Senate.' It is great. I knew that matters had gone to great length, but as one reads, day by day, one fails to keep up with the dirty story of our decadence. So your resume of it all is both satisfying and terrifying. "It is too bad, however, that your great publication was printed before the recent Mellon orgie was finished in the Senate. What a sad commentary on our entire parliamentary system! What wonder that dictatorships are being established, for this thing is going on in other countries. It is the latest phase of capitalist control of government! "We shall next have an open and shameless dictatorship in place of the one you have so nicely described, under more pleasant terms. .. Events are moving rapidly. We have, in my opinion, already passed the stage when the tactics of the liberals and the labor unions, of electing 'progressives' in each party or either party, are at all practical. . "Your book is a great contribution. It should have a good sale. It would have it out here, but our folks are simply without money-they no longer know what it looks like. Two hundred and fifty banks have failed in this State in two years, and the loss of savings has amounted to about fifty million dollars. What do you think of that?" Have You Read It? Certainly every reader of THE SEARCHLIGHT should have a copy of "Your Servants in the Senate." You can help further by telling your friends about it, and by placing us in touch with people who should be patrioticly interested in the truth it reveals. Single copies will be sent, postpaid, for $1.00, paper bound; in cloth, $1.75. Additional copies at reduced rates, according to the number desired. Mr. Mellon Your Government at Washington Three issues stand out in the immediate Congressional situation. They are the latest Mellon tax bill, which has just been concluded; the Senate attack on the aluminum trust, in full swing as we go to press; and a general assault on the existing tariff system, which may or may not develop into politically important proportions at the present session. For the moment, of course, the new tax legislation is outstanding in the public mind. Both branches have adopted the report of the conference committee and the measure will speedily receive the signature of the President. These final actions were taken too late for a critical review in this number; that will follow, with the more important roll calls, so presented as to enable the voters to relate the record to their election duties this fall. In brief, this legislation, from our point of view, was a surrender on the part of Congress to the powers that be in politics and industry. The "tax relief" was given disproportionately to those "best able to pay." Moreover, the attitude of a prevailing number of both Republicans and Democrats in their stand for secrecy with respect to revenue matters cannot conceivably be defended by any real friend of representative government in America. There was a non-partisan atmosphere about the tax bill from the beginning. It passed as "a coali Mellonism tion measure." Despite some controversy at times, the leaders of both parties joined forces. The result was a great victory for Mr. Mellon, personally and politically. The Congress has placed its stamp of approval upon the Mellon administration of the Treasury. That fact overshadows all others. The surtax rates and all other questions of taxation policy were comparably unimportant. Regardless of their attitude as to rates, every Senator and Congressman who is not a political peon should have taken advantage of the opportunity to protest against the clear-cut favoritism that has prevailed under Mellon. No plea of ignorance can be raised. The truth was known. The Couzens' Committee had disclosed it. Other evidence was available. Out of this tax legislation, quite apart from the law itself, should have come a thorough exposure of Mellonism. Instead of Congressional approval of his mis-administration, impeachment proceedings would have been more logical. Although it got through the tax "revision" unscarred, due to Democratic indulgence, the Administration is facing a lot of aluminum trust trouble. Senator Walsh is after the Aluminum Company of America, which is Mr. Mellon's big Watch gest monopoly. Attorney General Stone showed signs of getting busy through the Department of Justice. He was quickly removed to a position on the Supreme Court. There followed the unsuccessful attempt to install "Sugar Charley" Warren as Attorney General. Then the "safe and sane" Mr. Sargent was put in charge of the law-enforcement machinery. Now, so Walsh is attempting to demonstrate, Mr. Sargent has been over-diligent in doing nothing to bring the Aluminum Company of America to account for its alleged illegalities. Strange as it may seem, Walsh appears to have the idea that the Department of Justice should function, even though the offender happens to be a particular pet of Mr. Mellon. Walsh, probably, is the last man in the Senate Mr. Mellon would select for such a role. At any rate, the administration is marshalling its heaviest guns against him. It started, January 5, when Walsh presented a resolution directing the Judiciary Committee to inquire into the fairly obvious failure of the Attorney General to proceed For Fuller against the Aluminum Company. This was adopted. The Attorney General testified. He did not know anything about the matter. From subordinates, however, enough was disclosed to persuade Walsh that a real investigation was needed. Accordingly, in an able, preliminary report to the Senate, he asked that the Judiciary committee be empowered to probe the case thoroughly. The last paragraph of that report follows: "It has been deemed to be quite outside the scope of the resolution under which the committee acted to inquire whether such a violation has actually oc |