The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-09
GET CLOSER TO RANK
AND FILE SAYS WILSON
Given Ovation When He Welcomes
TO Washington Social iu-
>uranTe Conference.
STUDY PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
Statesmen Now Turning From Com
stitutional Discussions To Those
Things Which Touch Very Lives of
People.

Washington. Dec President
Wilson in an address Of welcome to
the delegates. sof the Social Insurance
/ conference at Continental Hall to-
night said the country had reached
/ q state OF development which leaves
purely political questions in the back
q fOund
We are studying the people whom
long ago we ought To have served
better than We have served them" he
declared
The reception accorded the chief
executive amounted to an ovation.
Secretary OF Labor William r. VIII
son urged the adoption OF an old-age
pension and widows pension laws
Samuel Gompers favored the work
mems compensation laws. but opposed
the adoption OF compulsory health in
surance. He declared there was more
voluntary social insurance among the
workers Of the United States than in
any other country in the world
Labor organizations which are
working Tor shorter hours. better
sanitation in places of employment.
etc, represent the greatest guarantee
against sickness and want" said Mr.
3pmpers
Secretary Redaeld. OF the Depart
ment OF Commerce, acted as chair
son $ brief address was as follows:
Presidents address.
on are associated in this CON
ference with members Of the govern
ment and the government is In a GER
tain sense your host and as a rep
rcsentative of the government / want
to bid voH a very hearty welcome and
10 SAY bow much II pleases all of us
who I've here. whether permanently
.af so, ri oh
gathering place for men and women
who come together 10 discuss some
Of the most serious aspects of the life
OF the nation.
We are living in an extremely in
teresting time. We have drifted away
from purely political questions. We
have, fortunately enough ceased to
make constitutional questions the cen
ter OF discussion and are turning our
attention more and more to those
things which affect the daily life and
fortunes of the rank and Gle OF great
nations
We are studying the people whom
long ago We ought to have served
better than We have served them. and
g we get in closer and closer touch
with the daily lives of men and wo-
men We know how to counsel bette,
we know how to govern better. VIC
know how to conduct our own indi-
vidual lives better. with a deeper IN
sight and truer sympathy,
n conference such as this to ais
cuss social insurance, gives evidence
of the dominant interest Of our own
time, and one of the best elements OF
social insurance is social underst and
tng-an interchange of views ana a
comprehension OF interests which for
a long time was only too rare. II
used to he confined to those who were
supposed to be restricted 10 what the
general public regarded as the use
less precincts Of the university.
/ Now ii has spread to the ranks of
/ practical men and ihas come to he
/ regarded as a practical study.
Gets Startling jolt.
4 had Il very startling insight not
/ long ago into the popular view OF st
university a man who had not often
appeared outside OF university circles
made an address which struck some
men who had never been univer~it,
! students as very interesting and on,
/ of Them SAID to another. that man
has got brains The other said. yes.
. ne has got brains TO burn Then
the FIRST said, what gravels me is how
a man with as much brains that
should waste twenty years hanging
around university That Ia not an
uncommon View of the university man.
but II IS more unCOfpmon than il
( used To be. just bcCa.Ise the funda-
mental studies characteristic of uni
Nersities have come out into tn" held
OF practical life.
y wish that it Could he my privi-
lcso to,take part IN your conference.
would learn great deal and profit
very much bat the cXi.enCies of pub
hc duty Connne mo TO che very pleas
/ amt and agreeable task Of bidding Won