The Alaska daily empire., 1916-12-07
PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGES

Whatever the difference of opinion that may ex- st as to the subjcctma,ter President Wilson's an nual message to Congress there must be unanimty one point. namely. its breyy; and in brevity there is much virtue. whether it deals with spoken or writ ten words Presidential messages to Congress have never been remarkable for the peuurous Of words Or the contrary for most part they have been ex- haustye to the point of exhaustion One of the mes sages sent to Congress by President Taft used up some 25OOO words. President Roosevelt might be expected was given to prolixty of expression, al- though what he said usually had punch" in it. President Cleveand's messages inclined to pre- pcnderosity yet they were admirable state papers. ard he was besides coiner of words and given to resurrectng pharases that had fallen into nnocuous de5uetude Roosevelt too showed facility in digging into musty tones in order to find expressions that would attract instant attention. and he is still prof- ic in digging out Of the literary griss or the past words and phrases intended to contound his enemies by their ap; application.
 McKinIey's messages to Congress were seldom of unusual length and they contained none of the um- brageous ornamen,aon and phrases that have served the purposes of others. And yet his messages were models Of clearness and excellent dicton
 President Wilson is. without doubt. the greatest master of words in the United States today and they are not weasel words. Of his critics would have us believe His public speeches and his mes sages to Congress show a clarity of speech and hu
 
 least by any modern statesman; and cannot be truthfuly charged against him that he is verbose in either for however people may differ as to the opin ions expressed the Presidents speeches end messages to Congress contain food for thought and for the most part. tersey expressed. Many speakers and writers though they be eloquent indeed. fail to remember that Words are but leaves. and where they most abound Much fruit of sense beneath is rarely found
 President Wilson's recent message to Congress was directed wholly to domestic subjects, principally the problem of railroad legislation It not to be expected that he would deal in of this kind with the many international problems that have deyel oped as a result of the European war. These are tco complex and frequently of too delicate nature to be discussed in detail in a message to Congress- and there Is nothing be gained by mere reference to them The United States has its domestic problems to solve including railroad Legislation and the President has clearly stated his position Labors rights are coeQual with the rights of employers Of labor but they are not paramount and the President has not lost sight of the far the interests Of the public are concerned and that railroad em ployees should not be permitted to parayze railroad transportation without first exhausting every means afforded by eonciation and arbitration. Legislation placing the railroads and their employees directly ] under the direction of President in of strikes win doubt be enacted at this session of Congress.