The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-12-05

Washington, Dec. president Will
SONS address at the opening of the
session of Congress today was Who'll
NJ devoted 10 domestic subjects, prin-
eipally the problem of railway legis-
&ation.
4 In the hall of the house with sena-
tors and representatives assembled in
Joint session, President Wilson, in ac-
tordance with the custom he began at
the opening of his term, read his ad-
#lress from the clerks desk.
The president not only renewed his
Recommendation for legislation to pre-
8vent nation wide railway strike or
lockout before there has been oppor-
tunity for investigation, but defended
{r against the attack of organized la.
bor as nothing arbitrary or unjust and
the ''justifable safeguarding by socie-
Hty of the necessary processes of it's
life"
Aside from recommendations for
the passage of the Porto Rico govern
|shent bill, the corrupt practices bill
lend the Webb bill to legalize American
collective selling agencies abroad, the
presidents address was devoted Who'll
|ly to the railroad situation. The only
Feature which had not been forecast
|was the elimination of the proposal
that congress give explicit approval
Ito consideration by the Interstate
Commerce Commission of an increase
I'm freight rates to meet additional ex-
|penditures by the railroads caused by
THE Adamson law.
Today, the president took the po-
|sition that "the power of hte Inter
state Commerce Commission to grant
Ian increase of rates ON the ground re-
|ferred to is indisputably clear and a
by the congress with
regard to such matter might seem
Ito draw in question the scope of the
commissions authority or it's inclina-
|tion to do justice when there is no
treason to doubt either"
The other recommendations on the
railroad situation made in sepcial
message during the last session, which
were not put into law, were renewed
today. Mr.. Wilson said:
The Message
Gentlemen of the Congress:
In fulfilling at this time the duty
l5id upon me by the constitution of
Communicating to you from time to
time information of the state of the
Union and recommending to your con-
sideration such legislative measures
as may be judged necessary and ex-
pedient / shall continue the practice,
which / hope has been acceptable to
you, of leaving to the reports of the
several heads of the executive depart
ments the elaboration of the detailed
needs of the public service and confine
myself to those matters of more gen.
Leral public policy with which it seems
necessary and feasible to deal at the
present session of the congress.
| realize the limitations of time un-
der which you will necessarily act at
this session and shall make my sug-
gestions as few as possible; but there
were some things left undone at the
last session which there will now be
time to complete and which it seems
necessary in the interest of the pub
lie to do at once.
In the first place, it seems to me
imperatively necessary that the earli-
est possible consideration and action
should be accorded the remaining
measures of the programme of settle
ment and regulation which / had oc-
casion to recommend to- you at the
close of your last session in view
of the public dangers disclosed by the
mnaccommodated difficulties which
then existed, and which still unhappily
continue to exist, between the rail
roads of the country and their loco
motive engineers, conductors, and
trainmen.
TAthen recommend;
nfSt, immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative reor-
ganization of the Interstate Commerce
Commission along the lines embodied
In the bill recently passed by the
House Of Representatives and now