Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-12-13

powerful nations, and of u present
enemies as we'll as our present asSo-
GATES in the war. l was thinking, and
am thinking now, of Austria herself,
among the rest, as well as of Serbia
anu OF Poland. Justice and equality of
rights can be had only at a great price.
we are seeking permanent, not tenn
porary foundations for the peace of the
world II must seek them candidly
M fearleSsly, as always the right will
prove to be the expedient.
What shall we do. then, to push this
great war of freedom and justice to it's
righteous conclusion? We must clear
away with a thorough hand all impede
mentS to success and we must make
every adjustment Of law that will IA
cilitate the full and free use of our
whole capacity and force as a fighting
unit.
Recommends War on Austria.
"one very embarrassing obstacle
mat stands in our way is that we are
at war with Germany but not with her
allies. l therefore very earnestly rec
ommend that the congress Immediately
declare the United States in a state
OF wal with Austria Hungary. Does
1t seem strange to you that this should
be the conclusion of the argument 1
nave Just addressed to you? 1t is not.
1t is, in fact, the Inevitable logic of
what I have said. Austria-Hungary is
for the time being not her own mis-
tress, 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 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 w 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 a declaration of war against Turkey
and Bulgaria. They also are the tools
Of Germany. But they are mere tools
ard do not vet stand in the direct path
or u necessary action. We shall go
wherever the necessities of this war
carry us, but it seems to me that we
should go only where immediate and
practical considerations lead US and
not heed my others.
Urges Check on Aliens.
The financial and military measures
which must be adopted will sugges
themselves as the war and it's under-
takings develop but 1 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 Tor NJ release of our whole
force n energy.
1T will be necessary to extend in
certain particulars the legislation of
the last session with regard to alien
enemies; and also necessary | believe.
to create a 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 a criminal offense every wilful
violation of the presidential proclama-
tons relating to alien enemies promul-
pDt a1 11n1n,- Saptior ACCT - IL ,
statutes and providing appropriate
punishments, and women as well as
men should be included under the
terms OF he acts, placing restraints
upon alien enemies. 1t is likely that
as time goes on many alien enemies
Will be willing to be fed II housed at
the expense of the government in the
detention camps and it would be the
purpose of the legislation | have sug-
gested to confine offenders among
them in penitentiaries and other SINH
lar institutions, where they could be
made to work as other criminals do.
Wants More Price Limits.
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, | ana sorry to say, has
been replaced Ny the law of unre-
strained s~elfishness. While we have
tlllliliidteu ploIlleSFlHS 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 egula
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
inequities obtain on all Sides.
1T is im~periatively necessary that
consideration of tie full use of the
waterpower of the country and also
the consideration of the systematic and
yet economical development of such of
the natural Of the country as
are still under the control of the fed
eral government should be Immediately
resumed and affirmatively and con-
structively dealt with at the earliest
possible moment. The pressing need
tof such legislation is daily becoming
more obvious.
Warns Against Waste.
The legislation proposed at the last
session with regard to regulated COM
b1nations among our exporters, in order
to provide for our foreign radea more
effective organization and method Of
cooperation, ought by all means to be
completed at his session.
And l 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
Ill very WdSlelul ana eXlfaNaRa0l RASH
ION with the enormous appropriations
of the pubic moneys which must con-
tinue to be made if the war is to be
properly sustained, unless the House
will consent to its former practice of
initiating and preparing all a%ppropria-
ton bills through a 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
gress %adjourns in order to affect the
most efficient coordination and opera
ton of the railway and other Transport
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 | ave overlooked anything that
ought to be done for the more effective
conduct of the war, your own ~counsals
will supply the omission. What 1 am
perfectly clear about is that in the
present session Of the congress our
whole attention n energy should be
concentrated on the vigorous and rapid