Gilpin observer., 1918-12-05
Declares Many Important Prob
lens Must Be Solved by
Lawmakers.
TREATY SIGNED BY SPRING
Seizure Of Cables, He Says, Aids in
Keeping Members Of Congress
Posted on Parleys Favors
Federal Control of Rail-
roads-Will Insist on
World Justice at
Peace Confer
ence,

Washington, Dec. BIN an address
to congress in joint session President
Wilson formally announced his inten-
tion to go to Paris for the peace con-
ference, saying the allied governments
have accepted principles enunciated
by him for peace and it is his para
mount duty to be present.
The president said he will be in close
touch by cable and wireless and that
congress will know all that he does on
the other side.
Referring to his announcement that
the French and British governments
had removed all cable restrictions up
on the transmission of news of the
conference to America, the president
said, he had taken over the American
cable system, on expert advice, SO as
to make unified system available.
The president said he hoped to see
a formal declaration of peace by
treaty "by the time spring has come
He expressed the hope that he would
have the cooperation of the public and
of congress, saying through the cables
vice would be possible.
Takes Up Railroad Problems.
Much of the address was devoted to
the railroad problem, for which the
president said he now had no solution
10 offer. He recommended careful study
by congress, saying it would be Il dis
service to the country and to the rail-
roads to permit. n return to old condi-
tions under private management with
out notifications.
The president declared he stood
government control whenever a salts
factory plan of readjustment could be
worked out.
No Reconstruction Plans Vet.
No definite program of reconstruc-
tion can be outlined now, Mr.. Wilson
said, but as soon as the armistice was
signed government control of business
and industry was released as far as
possible. He expressed the hope that
congress would not object to confer
ring upon the war trade board or some
other agency the right of fixing eX-
port priorities to assure shipment of
food to starving people abroad.
AS to taxation, the president in
dorsed the plan for levying $4,000, ,000,-
600 In 1919 and for notifying the pub
lie in advance that the 1920 levy will
be S4,OOO,OOO.OO0.
The new three-year naval building
program was indorsed because, the
president said, it would be unwise to
attempt to adjust the American pro-
gram 10 future world policy as yet
undetermined.
Again Urges Votes for Women.
Paying tribute to the peoples con-
duct in war. he spoke particularly of
the work OF women and again appealed
for woman suffrage by federal amend
ment.
Declaring he had no private thought
or purpose in going to- France. but that
he regarded 1t as his highest duty" the
president added: at is now my duty
to play my full part in making good
what they (Americnn soldiers) offered
their life's blood to obtain"
Text Of Presidents Address.
The president said:
Gentleinen OF tHe congress: The
year that has elapsed since last
stood before you to fulfill my consti-
tutiOnal duty to give to the congress
from time to time information on the
state Of the Union has been so crowd
ed with great events. great processes
and great results that I cannot hope
to give you an adequate picture of Its
transactions or of the far-reaching
changes which have been wrought In
the life of our nation and the world.
You have yourselves Witnessed these
things. as l have. 1t Is too soon to as
sess them; and we who stand In tho
midst of them and are part of them
are less qualified than men of another
generation will be to say what they
mean or even what they have been.
But some great outstanding facts are
unmistakable and constitute in sense
part of the public business with which
II Is our duty to deal.
To state them is to set the stage for
the legislative and executive action