Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-12-11
Enable area would be in effect COM

| would be q diSSeryice alike to the coun-
| try and to the owners of the railroads
| to return TO the old conditions unmod-
| flied. Those are conditions of res
traint without development. There is
| nothing affirmative or helpful about
them. What the country chiefly needs
| is that all its means of transportation
should be developed, its railways, its
waterways, its highways and its coun-
| tryside roads
New Policy Necessary.
Some new element of policy, there
fore, Is absolutely consequences
| sary for the service of the public, nee
essary for the release of credit to
those who are administering the rail
ways, necessary for the protection OF
their security holders.
/ welcome this occasion to announce
to the congress my purpose to join in
| Paris the representatives of the gov
ernments with which we have been
associated in the war against the CEN
trals empires for the purpose of dis
cussing with them the main features
| of the treaty of peace. / realize the
| great Inconvenience that will attend
my leaving the country, particularly
at this time, but the conclusion that
it was my paramount duty to go has
been forced upon me by considera-
tons which hope will seem as con-
| elusive to you as they have seemed to
| me.
/ Accept U. S. Bases of Peace.
| The allied governments have ac-
| cepted the bases of peace which out
lined to the congress on the Sth of
| January last, as the central empires
also have. and very reasonably desire
nv personal counsel In their interpre-
! tation and application, and it is highly
| desirable that should give 1t in order
| that the sincere desire of our govern
ment to contribute without selfish pur-
/ pose of any kind to settlements that
| win be of common benefit TO all the
nations concerned may be made fully
manifest.
| The peace settlements which are
now to be agreed upon are of tran
scendent Importance both to us and
| to the rest of the world, and l know
of no business or interest which should
| take precedence of them. The gallant
men of our armed forces on land and
sea have consciously fought for the
| ideals which they knew to be the
| ideals of their country i have sought
| to express those ideals; they have ac
! copied my statements of them as the
substance of their own thought and
| purpose, as the associated govern
ments have accepted them; l owe it to
| them 30 see it, so far as in me lies,
that no false or mistaken interpreta
ton is put upon them and no possible
! effort omitted to realize them.
1t is now my duty to play my full
part in making good what they offered
| in their life's blood to obtain. / can
think of no call to service which could
| transcend this.
Praises War Agencies.
Never before have there been agen-
| cies in existence in this country which
knew so much of the field of supply,
| of labor and of industry as the war
| industries board, the war trade board,
| the labor department, the food admin
| istration and the fuel administration
| have known since their labors became
| thoroughly systematized; and they
| have not been isolated agencies; they
| have been directed by men who rep
resented the permanent departments
| of the government and so have been
| the centers of unified and cooperative
| Io, kl,A ~ - 10
executive, therefore, since the armis-
| tice was assured (Which is in effect a
complete submission of the enemy to
| put the knowledge of these bodies at
the disposal of the business men of
| the country and to offer their inteli-
| gent mediation at every point and in
every matter where it was desired. 1t
| is surprising how fast the process of
return TO a peace footing has moved
| in the three weeks since the fighting
stopped. 1t promises to outrun any in
| quiry that may be instituted and any
| aid that may be offered. 1t will not be
easy to direct it any better than it
will direct itself. The American bust
ness man is of quick initiative.
Cites Practical Plans.
The ordinary and normal processes
of private initiative will not, however,
| provide immediate employment for all
! of the men of our returning armies.
| Those who are of trained capacity,
| those who are skilled workmen, those
| who have acquired familiarity with es-
| tablished businesses, those who are
ready and willing to go to the farms,
| all those whose aptitudes are known
or will be sought ue.. by employees will
find no difficulty, 1t is safe to say, in
| finding place and employment, But
| there will be others who will be at
loss where to gain livelihood I'M
less pains are taken to guide them
| AND put them In the way of work.
There will be large floating re-
siduum of labor which should be left
wholly to shift for itself 1t seems to
! me important therefore that the de-