Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-12-05
particularly direct your attention

reCary OIL the inferior mas developed IN
his annual report and before your COM
mittees for the reclamation Of arid,
swamp and cut-over lands which might,
If the states were willing and able to
cooperate. redeem some 3OO,OOO,OOO
acres of land for cultivation. There
are said to be 15,OOO,OOO or 2O,OOO,OOO
acres of land in the West at
present arid, for whose reclamation wa
ter is available, If properly conserved
There are about 23O,OOO,OOO acres from
which the forests have been cut hut
which have never yet been cleared for
the plow, and which lie waste and des-
olate. These lie scattered all over the
Union.' And there are nearly 9O,O0O.-
600 acres of land that lie under swamps
or subject to periodical overflow or
too wet for anything but grazing
which 1t Is perfectly feasible to drain
and protect and redeem.
Problem Economic One.
So far as our domestic affairs are
concerned the problem Of our return
to peace Is problem of economic
and industrial rcadjustment. That
problem is less serious for us than
it may turn out to be for the ma
tions which have suffered the disar-
rangements and the losses of war
longer than we. Our people, more
over, do not wait to be coached and
led. They know their own business,
are quick and resourceful at every
REIMBURSEMENT, definite in purpose, and
self-reliant in action.
While the war lasted we set up
many agencies by which to direct the
industries of the country in the serv-
ices it was necessary for them to rem
der, by which to make sure of an
abundant supply of the materials
needed, by which to check undertake
ings that could for the time be dis
.pensed with and stimulate those that
were most serviceable in war, by
which to gain for the purchasing de-
partments of the government certain
control over the prices of essential
articles and materials, by which to
restrain trade with alien enemies,
make the most of the available ship
ping, and systematic financial trans
actions, both public and private, so
that there would be no unnecessary
conflict or confusion-by which, in
short, to put every material energy of
the country in harness to draw the
common load and make of us one team
in the accomplishment of great
task. But the moment we knew
the armistice to have been signed we
took the harness off. Raw materials
upon which the government had kept
it's hand for fear there should not be
enough for the Industries that sup
piled the armies have been released
and put into the general market again.
Great Industrial plants whose whole
output and machinery had been taken
over for the uses of the government
have been set free to return to the
uses to which they We're put before
the war. It has not been possible to,
remove so readily or so quickly the
control Of foodstuffs and of shipping.
because the world has still to be fed
I from our granaries and the ships are
istill needed to send supplies to our
men Oversea and to bring the men
back as fast as the disturbed condi-
tiohs on the other side of the water
permit; but even there restraints are
being relaxed as much as possible and
more and more as the weeks go by.
/ entirely concur with the secretary
of the treasury in recommending that
the two billions needed in addition tic
the four billions provided by existing
law be obtained from the profits which
have accrued and shall accrue from
war contracts and distinctively wal
business, but that these taxes be con.
fined to the war profits accruing ir
1918, or in 1919 from business origi.
mating in, war contracts.
urge your acceptance Of his recon-
mendation that provision be made
now, not subsequently, that the taxes
to be paid in 1920 should be reduced
from six to four billions.
Asks Support of Congress.
May / not hope, gentlemen of the
congress, that in the delicate tasks !
shall have to perform on the Other
side Of the sea, in my efforts truly and
faithfully to interpret the principles
and purposes of the country we love
1 may have the encouragement and
the added strength of your united
support? realize the magnitude and
difficulty of the duty l am undertak.
ing. am poignantly aware of Its
grave responsibilities. l am the ser.
want of the nation. can have no pri.;
vate thought or purpose Of my OWL
in performing such an errand. 20
to give the best that is in me to the
common settlements which must
now assist in arriving at in conference
with the other working heads of the
associated governments.
Il shall count upon your friendly
cOitntenance and encouragement. 1,
shall not be inaccessible. The cables
and the wireless will render me avail.
able for any counsel or service you
may desire of me, and / shah be kap.
py in the thought that am constant.
" in touch with the weighty matters
of domestic policy With which we
shall have to deal. l shall make my
absence as brief as possible and shall
hope to return with the hapny assur.
nncs. that it has been possible to
translate into action the great ideals
fer which America hns st'i,.e,,
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