The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-12-05

Of most of the things they must them
selves purchase, and similar iniquities
obtain on all sides.
ut Is imperatively necessary that the
consideration Of the full use of the
water power Of the country and also
| 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
| Immediately resumed and affirmatively
| and constructively dealt with at the
| earliest possible moment. The press
| ing need Of such legislation is daily be-
| coming more obvious.
A Word to the Lawmakers.
"'The legislation proposed at the last
session with regard to regulated COM
binations 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 at this session.
"And beg thet the members Of the
house of representatives will permit
| me to express the opinion that it will
be impossible to deal in any but very
wasteful and extravagant fashion with
the enormous appropriations of the
public moneys which must continue to
be made, if the war is to be properly
sustained, unless the house will con-
sent to return to its former practice
Of initiating and preparing all appro-
priation bills through a single commit
tee, In order that responsibility may
be centered, expenditures standardized
and made uniform and waste and du-
plication as much as possible avoided.
additional legislation may also be-
come necessary before the present con-
gress again adjourns in order to effect
the most efficient coordination and op-
eration of the railway and other trans
/ portation systems of the country; but
| to that / shall, If circumstances should
demand, call the attention of the con-
gress upon another occasion.
, Concentrate on Winning War
| IF | have overlooked anything that
ought to be done for the more effective
will supply the omission What 1 am
perfectly clear about is that in the
present session Of the congress our
, whole attention and energy should be
| concentrated on the vigorous, rapid
and successful prosecution of the great
task Of winning the war.
eve can do this with all the greater
1
! that for us this as war of high prin-
| ciple, debased by no selfish ambition
! of conquest or spOliation; because we
| know, and all the world knows, that
we have been forced into it to save the
very institutions we live under from
corruption and destruction. The pur-
| poses of the central powers strike
| straight at the very heart Of every
thing we believe in; their methods Of
warfare outrage every principle of hui
manity and of knightly honor; their
| intrigue has corrupted the very
| thought and spirit of many Of our
| people; their sinister and secret diplo-
macy has sought to take our very ter
ritory away from us and disrupt the
union of the states. Our safety would
| be at an end, our honor forever sullied
and brought into contempt were we to
permit their triumph. They are strik-
ing at the very existence of democracy
and liberty.
| Cause Is Just and Holy.
"It is because 1t is for us war Of
high, disinterested purpose, in which
!, all the free peoples Of the world are
banded together for the vindication of
right, war for the preservation OF our
nation, and of all that it has held dear
of principle and of purpose, that we
| felt ourselves doubly constrained to
purpose for its outcome only that
which is righteous and of irreproach-
able intention, for our foes as well as
for our friends. The cause being just
and holy, the settlement must be OF
like motive and quality. For this we
can fight, but for nothing less noble
or less worthy of our traditions. For
this cause we entered the war and for
this cause will we battle until the last
gun is fired.
81 have spoken plainly, because this
seems to me the time when 1t Is most
necessary to speak plainly, In order
that all the world may know that even