The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-12-13
Recommends War on Austria.

facts as they are and act upon them
without sentiment in this stern duty.
The government Of Austria Hungary is
not acting upon it's own initiative or in
| response to the wishes and feelings of
! It's own peoples but as the instrument
OF another nation. We must meet it's
force with our own and regard the CEN
| trail powers as but one. The war can,
be successfully conducted in no other
way. The same logic would lead also
| to declaration of war against Turkey
and Bulgaria. They also are the tools
of Germany. But they are mere tools
ard do not yet stand in the direct path
Of our necessary action. We shall go
carry us, but it seems to me that we
should go only where immediate and
practical considerations lead us and
not heed any others.
Urges Check on Aliens.
"The financial and military measures
Which must be adopted will suggest
themselves as the war and its under
takings develop but will take the lib
erty Of proposing to you certain other
acts of legislation which seem to me
to be needed for the support Of the
war and for the release Of our whole
force and energy.
1t will be necessary to extend in
certain particulars the legislation Of
the last session with regard to alien
L
| to create very definite and particular
control over the entrance and depar-
ture of all persons into and from the
United States.
Legislation should be enacted defin-
ing as criminal offense every wilful
violation of the presidential proclama-
! tons relating to alien enemies promlll-
gated under section 1867 Of the revised
statutes and providing appropriate
punlshments, and women as well as
men should be included under the
terms Of the acts, placing restraints
upon alien enemies. 1t is likely that
as time goes on many alien enemies
will be willing be fed and housed at
the expense OF the government in the
detention camps end it would be the
purpose of the legislation I have sug-
gested to confine offenders among
them in penitentiaries and other SINH.
lar institutions, whore they could be
made to work as other criminals do.
Wants More Price Limits.
Recent experience has convinced me
that the congress must so further in
authorizing the government to set
limits to prices. The law of supply
and demand, I am sorry to say, 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been replaced by the law of unre-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 farm
ers, for example complain with a great
deal Of justice that while the regula-
ton OF food prices restricts their in
comes. no restraints are placed upon
the prices of most of the things they
must themselves purchase; and similar
linequities obtain on all sides.
1t is imperiatively necessary that
consideration of the full use of the
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 tho fed
eral government should be Immediately
resumed and affirmatively and con-
structively dealt with at the earliest
possible moment. The pressing need
of such legislation is daily becoming
more obvious.
Warns Against Waste.
The legislation proposed &, the last
/ session with regard to regui ted COM
binations among our exporte, ), in order
! to provide for our foreign t. ..de more
effective organization and method of
cooperation, ought by all l..eans to be
completed at this session.
4 And beg that the members Of the
House of Representatives will permit
me to express the opinion that it will
!! be impossible to deal In any way but
a very wasteful and extravagant fash
ion 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 it's former practice Of
| initiating and preparing all appropria-
ton bills through single committee
| in order that responsibility may be cen
| tered expenditures standardized and
made uniform and waste by duplication
| be avoided as much as possible.
| Additional legislation may also be-
come necessary before the present con-
|eress adjourns in order to affect the
most efficient CO. ordination and opera
\ ton of the railway and other transpor-
tation systems Of the country. But to
that ! SHALL If circumstances demand
call the attention of congress upon an
other occasion.
/ Devote Session to War.
IF have overlooked anything thai
ought to be done for the more effective
! conduct of the war, your own counsels
will supply the omission. What l an
perfectly clear about is that in the
/ present session Of the congress oul
4 concentrated on the vigorous and rapit
and successful prosecution Of the grea
4 task OF winning the war.
4 "We}can do this with all the greater
lzeal and enthusiasm because we know
that for us this is a war OF high prin-
lciple. debased by no selfish ambition
LOT conquest or spoliation; because we
know. and, aLthe world knows, that we
have been forced into it to save the
very institutions we live under from
i corruption and destruction. the pur
4 poses Of the central powers strike
straight at this very heart Of everything
we believe in: their methods OF war
fare outrage every principle Of hu.
1manity and OF knightly honor; theil
intrigue has corrupted the very though,
{ and spirit OF many OF our people; theil
sinister and secret diplomacy ma,
sought to take our very territory ava,