South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-05
The Presidents Message to Congress

ment Of the merits. and opportunity
20 consider all practicable means Of
Cancellation or arbitration. / can
see nothing in that proposition but
the justihable safeguarding by So
ciety of the necessary processes Of
its very life. There is nothing arbl-
trary or unjust in il unless il be
arbitrarily and unjustly done 1t can
and should be done with a full and
scrupulous regard for the interests
and liberties OF all concerned as
we'll as for the permanent interests
OF society itself.
URGES SENATE TO ACT.
Three matters Of capital import
ance await the action Of the senate
which have already been acted upon
by the house Of representatives: The
bill which seeks 10 extend greater
freedom Of combination TO those
engage in promoting the foreign
commerce Of the country that is now
thought by some TO be legal under
the terms of the laws against mon
OpOly; the bill amending the present
4
bill proposing a more systematic
regulation of the expenditure Of
money in elections. commonly call
the corrupt practices act. l need
not labor my advice that these
measures be enacted into law. Their
, urgency lies i'm the manifest circum-
stances which render their adoption
at this time not only opportune. but
necessary. Even delay would Sc
riously leopard the interests of the
country and of the government.
Immediate passage Of the bill to
regulate the expenditure Of money
in elections may seem to be less nee
essary than the immediate enact
ment of the other measures TO
which l refer; because at least two
years Will elapse before another
+ election in which federal offices are
! TO be flled; but il would greatly re-
| lieVe the public mind if this import
ant matter were dealt with while
1 the circumstances and the dangers
+ to the public morals of the present
method of obtaining and spending
campaign funds stand clear under
D
/ CT expenditure can be frankly
j studied in the light of present ex-
/ perience; and a delay would have
/ the further very serious disadvan-
taSe Of postponing action until an
other election was at hand ana
some special object connected with
it might be thought 10 be i'm the
mind Of those who urged it, Action
can be taken now with facts for
guidance and without suspicion OF
partisan purpose.
SHOULD AID EXPORTERS.
/ shall not argue at length the de-
STABILITY Of giving a freer hand in
the matter Of combined and con-
certed effort TO those who shall
undertake the essential enterprise OF
building up our export trade That
enterprise will presently. Will i'm
! mediately assume. has indeed al
ready assumed, a magnitude UNI
! precedented in our experience. We
have not the necessary instruments
aiities for its prosecution; il is
! deemed 20 be doubtful whether they
| could be created upon an adequate
scale under our present laws. We
should clear away all legal obstavles
and create a basis of undoubted law
for it which will give freedom with
| cut permitting unregulated license.
The thing must be done now, be-
cause the opportunity is here and
may escape us If we hesitate or de-
lay.
The argument for the proposed
amendments OF the organic law of
| Porto Rico is brief and conclusive.
The present laws governing the
island and regulating the rights and
privileges of its pc yple are not Just.
We have created expectations of ex-
! tended privilege which we have not
satisfied. There is Uneasiness among
! The people Of the island. and even a
suspicious doubt with regard TO our
intentions concerning them which
the adoption of the pending meas
Ure would happily remove. We do
not doubt what we wish 20 do in
any essential particular. We ought
to do il at once.
FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING.
AT the last session of the congress
a bill was passed by the senate which
provides for the promotion of voca-
tioEal and industrial education
which is of vital Importance TO the
whole country because it concerns
q matter too long neglected. upon
which the thorough Industrial prep
aration OF the country for the crit
ical years OF economic development
.uprvHuzrz.-u