Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-05

pdTtufe OF all persons INTO anu iioih
the United States.
Legislation should be enacted defn-
ing as criminal offense every wilfCl
violation of the Presidential proclama-
ton relating TO enemy aliens promul-
| gated under Section 4067 of the re-
vised statutes and providing appro-
pirate punishments: 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 TO be fed and housed
at the expense of the government in
the detention camps, and il would be
the purpose of the legislation | have
suggested to confine offenders among
. them in penitentiaries and other sim
liar institutions where they could be
made to work as other criminals do.
Price Limits Demanded
Recent experience has convinced me
that the Congress must go further in au-
thorizing the government 10 set limits u
, prices. The law OF supply and demand.
I am sorry to say. has been replaced by
the Jaw of unrestrained seltishness. While
We have eliminated profteerins in sever
al branches of industry. il still runs I'M
pudently rampant in others. The farm
ers, 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 much themselves
Epurchase; and similar inequalities OBTAIN
on all sides
II i inlperatively necessary that the
consideration of the full use of the water
power Of the country and also the consid-
era ton Of the systematic and yet econom'
zeal DEVELOPMENT of such Of the natura!
resources of the country are still unde.
control of the federal government should
be resumed and affirmatively and con-
structively dealt with at the earliest pos
sibie moment. The pressing need OF suce
legislation is daily becoming more OBJ
vous
TIN legislation proposed at the last ses-
sion with regard to regulated cofipAla-
tons among our exporters ~ ofoer y
provide for our foreign trade more ei-
fective organization and method OF CO.
'operation. ought by all means 70 pc com
pleted a this session.
And 7 beg that the members or TIE
/; House OF Representatives Will permit me
TO express the opinion that It VIII De I'M
nossih1a IA deal in any way but a very
1rastaf,,l and extravagant fashion with
,ba enormous appropriations Of the public
,,o,ave which must continue 10 be made,
70 the war is TO be properly sustained,
unless the House will consent 70 return
to its former practice OF initiating auu
preparing all appropriation bills throush
a single committee in order that respoh-
s;hilitv NAV be centered, expenditures
standardized and made uniform, ana
waste and duplication as much as possible
avoided.
Additional legislation may also pc
,on,e necessary before the present CON
orasS adi0llrns in order 10 erect ti-e
most efficient coordination anH opera
ton Of the railway and other transb"f-
tation systems Of the country. nut 70
. that, / should, if circumstances Shou'o
demand call 1he attention or congress
| upon another occasion.
If have overlooked anything tHat
ought to be done for the more efecti, e
conduct of the war. your own couhsei9
will supply the omission. What | am
perfectly clear about is that in the
y present session of the Congress our
whole attention and energy should De
. concentrated on the vigorous ana rap
id and successful prosecution OF tie
great task Of winning the va.
War of High Principle
we can DO this with all tn ..ireater
zeal and enthusiasm because we know
that for US this is a war of high prin-
ciple debased by no selfish ambition
of conquest or spoilation; 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 or
warfare outrage every principle OF nu-
manity and Of knightly honor their in
trigue has corrupted the very thought
and spirit of many of our people, Their
sinister and secret diplomacy has
sought to take our very territory Away
from us and disrupt the union Of the
states. our safety would be at an end,
our honor forever suilied and brought
into contempt, We're we to permit their
triumph They are striking at the very
existence Of democracy and liberty.
1t is because it is for us a war of
high. disnterested purpose, in which
all tile 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
feel ourselves doubly constrained to
propose for its outcome only mat
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 ANA 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 We battle until the
last gun is fired.
/ have spoken plainly because this
seems to me the time when it is most
necessary to speak plainly. in order
that all the world may know that even
in the heat and ardor Of the struggle
and when oul whole thought is of car
rying the war through 10 its end We
have not forgotten any ideal or prin-
ciple for which the name Of America
has been held in honor among the ma
, tons and for which II has been our
glory IA contend in tile great genera