The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-04

plainly or too OFTEN.
Seek Peace for the World.
From every point of view, therefore,
it has seemed to be my duty to speak
these declarations of purpose, to add
these specific interpretations to what
1 took liberty of saying to the senate
in January. Our entrance into the
war has not altered our attitude to-
ward the settlement that must come
when the war is over. When said
in January that the nations of the
world were entitled not only to free
pathways upon the sea but also to as
sured and unmolested access to those
pathways 1 was thinking and 1 am
thinking now. not of the smaller and
weaker nations alone, which need our
countenance and support, but also or
the great and powerful nations, and of
our present enemies as well as our
present associates in the war. I was
thinking, and am thinking now, OF
Austria herself, among the rest, as
well as of Serbia and of Poland. JUS
tice and equality Of rights can be
had only at great price. We are
seeking permanent, not temporary
and must seek them candidly and
fearlessly.
Are Tools of Germany.
Austria-Hungary is for the time be-
ing not her own mistress but simply
the vassal of the German governm emit.
We must face the facts as they are
and act upon them without sentiment
in this stern business. The govern
ment of Austria Hungary is not act
ing upon its own initiative or in re-
Spouse to the wishes and feelings of it's
own peoples but as the instrument of
another nation. We must meet its
force with our own and regard the
central powers as but one. The war
can be successfully conducted in no
other way. The same logic would
lean also to a declaration of war
against Turkey and Bulgaria. They
also are the tools of Germany. But
they are mere tools and do not yet
stand in the direct path of our neces-
sary action. We shall go whenever
the necessities of this wSr carry US,
but it seems to me that we should go
only where Immediate and practical
consideration lead us and not heed
any others.
Make Jailed Spies Work
The financial and military meas
ures which must be adopted will sug-
gest themselves Rs the war and its
undertakings develop, but I will take
the liberty of proposing to you GER
tain other acts of legislation which
seem to be needed for the support of
the war and for the release of our
whole force and energy It will be
| necessary to extend in certain particu-
lars the legislation of the last session
| with regard to alien enemies and also
| necessary l believe, to create a very
ueIlnlte and particular control over
the entrance and departure of all per-
sons into and from the United States.
| Legislation should be enacted defin
ing as a criminal offense every wilfuI
violation of the presidential proclama-
| ton relating to alien enemies promuI-
gated under Section 4067 of the re-
Vlsed statutes and providing appro-
pirate puniShmentS; and women as
well as men should be included under
the terms of the acts placing restraints
| upon allen enemies. 1t is likely that
! as time goes on many alien enemies
will be willing to be fed and housed
| at the expense of the government in
the detention camps and it would be
the purpose of the legislation 1 have
suggested to confine offenders among
1 IneIn nm IN penltentiaries and other SINH
lar institutions where they could be
maze TO work as other criminals do.
Government Must Fix Prices.
Recent experience has convinced me
that the congress must go further in
authorizing the government to set
limits to prices. The law of supply
and demand, I am sorry to saw. has
been replaced by the law of unre-
| strained SelfishneSs. While we have
eliminated profiteering in several
branches of industry, it still runs i'm
pudently rampant in others The
Farmers, for example, complain with
u great deal of justice that, while the
resul4tlon OF food prices restricts
their incomes, no restraints are placed
upon the prices of most of the things
! they must themselves purchase: and
similar inequities obtain on all sides.
1t is imperatively necessary that the
consideration of the full use of the
| water power of the country and also
| of the consideration of the systematic
and yet economical DEVELOPMENT of
such of the natural resources of the
country as are still under the control
OF the federal government, should be
imme diately resumed and ALTERNATIVES
ly and constructively dealt with at the
earliest possible moment. The press
ing need of such legislation is daily
becoming more obvious,
The legislation proposed at the last
session with regard to regulated COM
b1nationS among our exporters in or
der to provide for our foreign trade a
more effective organization and meth
cd of cooperation ought by all means
to be completed this session.
Single Committee in House.
And I beg that the members of the
house of representatives will permit
me to express the opinion that lit will
be impossible to deal in any but a
very wasteful and extravagant fashion
with the enormous appropriations of
the public moneys which must con-
tinue to be made if the war is to be
properly sustained, unless the house
: will consent to return to it's former
practice of initiating and preparing all
appropriation bills thru a single COM
mittee, in order that responsibility
may be conferred, expenditures stand
ardized and made uniform and waste
and duplication as much as possible
avoided.
Additional legislation may also be-
come necessary before the present
congress again adjourns in order tc
effect the most efficient coordination
and operation of the railway and 9TH
er transportation systems of the coun.
try; but to that, 1 shall, if circum.
stances should demand call. the atten.
ton of the congress upon another oc.
casion.
If I have overlooked anything thai
ought to be done for the more eff
| IL