Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-04

| " iiANll lOOh lut llDeTIy Ol saying lO
! the Senate in January. Our 'entranct
into the war has not altered our at
| tttude towards the settlement that
| must come when it is over. When
said in January that the nations of
| world were entitled not only to free
pathways upon the sea but also to
assured and unmolested access to
| those pathways l was thinking, and
| l am thinking now, not of the small
er and weaker nations alone, which
need our countenance and support,
but also of the great and powerful
nations and of our present enemies
| as well as our present associates in
the war. l was thinking, and am
thinking, now, of Austria herself,
among the rest as well as of Serbia
and of Poland. Justice and equality
I of rights can be had only at great
| price. We are seeking permanent, not
temporary, foundations for the peace
of the world and must seek them
candidly and fearlessly. AS always,
the right will prove to be the eXpedi-
ent.
What shall we do then, to push
this great war of freedom and justice
to its righteous conclusion? We must
clear away with a thorough hand all
impediments to success and we must
make every adjustment of law that
will facilitate the full and free use
of our whole capacity and force as a
fighting unit.
One very embarrassing obstacle
that stands in our way is that we
are at war with Germany but not
with her allies. 1 therefore very
earnestly recommend that the Con-
gress Immediately declare the United
States in state OF war with Austria
Hungary. Does it seem strange to
you that this should be the con-
clusion of the argument L have Just
addressed to you? 1t is not. 1t is
in fact the inevitable logic of what
have said. Austria Hungary is for
the time being not her own mistress,
but simply the Vassal of the Ger
man government. We must face
the facts as they are and act upon
them without sentiment in this stern
business. The government of Aus
trl-Hungary is not acting upon it's
own initiative or in response to the
Wlshes and feelings of its own peo-
pies but as the instrument of an
other nation. We must meet its
force with our own and regard the
Central Powers as but one. The war
can be successfully conducted in n ,
other way. The same logic would
lead also to a declaration of war
'oAiioI L III hty anu IhCL
also are the tools of Germany. But
they are mere tools and do not vet
stand in the direct path of our neces-
sary action. We shall go wherever
the necessities of this war carry us,
but 1t seems to me that We should
so only where immediate and Drac-
tical considerations lead us and not
heed any others.
The financial and military mcas-
ures which must be adopted will sug-
gest themselves as the war and its
undertakings develop, but [ will take
the liberty of proposing to you GER
tain other acts of legislation which
seem to me to be needed for the
support OF the war and for the re-
lease OF our whole forca and encrsy
Alien Enemy Legislation
1t will be necessary to extend in
certain particulars the legislation Of
the last session with regard to alien
enemies; and also necessary, 1 believe
10 create very definite AMI narti-
cular control over the "nerarice and
departure of all persons into ard
from the United States.
Legislation should be enacted de-
linlnS as criminal ofensa every will
lul violation of the Presidential
pToclamatlons relating to enemy
SnnfIOn
4Vo' OF the revised statutes and pro-
Vlding appropriate punishments; and
women as well as men, should he
included, under the terms OF tho acrs
placing restraints upon alien enemies
III is likely that as tina goec or many
allen enemies will be willing tc he
red and housed at the expense of the
government in the detention cninps
and 1t would be thu purpose of tho
legislation l have suggested TO con-
iine Offenders among them in peni-
tentlaries and o.hcr similar iry.i+,,-
tons where they could lie made IA
work as other criminals do.
Must Regulate Prices
Recent experience has convinced
me that the Congress must go fur-
ther in authorizing the government
TO set limits to prices. The law ofi
supply and demand, I am sornv to
say has been replaced by the law ofj
unrestratned selfishness. While we
nave eliminated profiteering in sew
eral branches of industry il sti,II
runs impudently rampant in Others
Tne farmers, for example, COMPLAIN
with great deal of Justice that. |
while the regulation 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 OBJ |
tain on all sides.
1t is imperatively necessary that
the consideration of the full use of |
the. water power of the country and
also the consideration of the svste- |
matlc and yet economical develop