The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-12-02

t's@W1 iol NHN hotNhs Just ahFtAa
or us.
Many Troops to Remain
The maintenance Of our forces on
the other side OF the sea is attn nee
essary \ considerable proportion OF
those forces must remain In Europe
during the period OF occupation. and
those which are brought home will
be transported and demohilined at
heavy expense for months Co come.
The Interest on our war debt must.
OF course, be paid. and provision
made for the retirement OF the obli'
cations. OF the government which rep
resent IL. hut these demands will. OF
course. fall much below what a con.
tinuation OF military operations
would have entailod. and six billions
should suffice To supply sound
foundation for the financial opera.
tons OF the year.
Tax on War Profits
entirely concur with the secre.
tary OF tho treasury In recommend
ing that the s. 900 900 600 needed In
addition TO the 81. 600 600 900 provided
by existing Law be- obtained from the
profits which have accrued and shall
accrue from war contracts and dis
| uncty war business. but that these
taxes he confined 10 the war profits
accrulng In 1918, or in 1919. from
business originating In war con.
tracts
| urge your acceptance Of this rec
ommondation that provision he made
now. not subsequently, that the taxes
TO be paid in 1890 should DO reduced
| IRON six 10 four billions. Any ar.
rangement less definite than these
would add elements Of doubt and con.
fusion TO the critical period of indus
trial readtustment thru which tho
country must now Immediately pass.
and which no true friend ~ the ma
TONS essential business interest can
afford TO be responsible for creating
or prolonrinE. Clearly determined
conditions, clearly chnrted. are indls
isenaahie to the economic revival and
/ rapid industrial development which
may confidently he expected IL we act
now and sweep all Interrogation
marks away.
To Keep Up Navy Program
take II for granted that the con.
Eresn VIII carry out the naval pro.
gram which was undertaken before
we entered the war Tn. secretary
/ OF the navy has submitted TO your
committee for authorization. that
part Of the program which covers
the building plans OF the next three
| years. These plans have been pre-.
/ pared along the lines and In accord.
/ ance with the policy which the con.
/ greas established. not under ercep.
/ tionat conditions OF the war. but OF
/ adhcrinE 20 a definite method OF de.
I vcloTrnsnt for The navy. earnestly
Z recommend the uninterrupted pur.
suit OF that policy. IL would clearly
I be unsafe for US TO attempt TO adjust
our program TO future world pol
/ Icy ms yet undetermined.
| No Opinion ON Roads
tn. question which causes me the
I greatest concern IL the question Of
/ the policy to be adopted towards the
1 railroads. / frankly turn TO YOU for
/ counsel upon IT, have no confident
/ Judgment % my own. do no, see
how any thoughtful man can have.
who knows anything Of the com.
/ picsity OF tho problem. IL IL a prob.
lem which must be studied. studied
/ Immediately and studied without bias
or prejudice. Nothing can be gained
by becoming partlsans Of any par
/ ucular plan OF settlement
/ IL was necessary that tho admin.
is,ration OF the great railways should
be taken over BY the government 80
long as the war lasted. II would
haze been impossible NO Ions as the
way lasted. II would have bccn i'm
possible 20 establish and carry thru
under single direction tho neces.
sary priorttiea Of shipment. II would
/ have been impossible otherwise 20
/ combine maximum production AZ the
/ factories and mines and farms with
/ the maximum possible car supply 90
/ take tho products TO tho ports and
markets. impossible TO route troop
shipments and freight shipments
with regard TO the advantage or dis
advantage OF the roads employed
I impossible to subordinate. when nee
esgary. all questions OF convenience
TO tho public necessity: impossible
to give the necessary financial sup.
port 90 the roads from the treasury.
But all thsse necessities have
been served and the question r.
what ia best for the railroads and
the public In the future.
tration were not needed to convince
ua that the roads were not equal
10 the immense tasks Of transpor-
tation imposed upon them by this
rapid and continuous development
Of the Industries OF tho country
We know that already. And We
knew that they were unequal "a
II partly because their fun CO.
operation was rendered impossible
by law and their competition made
obligatory. 90 that II has been i'm
possible TO assign 10 them several
~ the traffic which could best be-
carried by their respective lines In
the interests OF national economy.
Peace Treaty by Spring
We may hope. l believe. for tho
formal conclusion of the war by
treaty by the time spring has come
The 81 months to which the pres
ent control OF the railways is limit
ed after formal proclamation OF tho
peace shall have been made will
run at the farthest, take II for
granted. only to January OF 1921
The fun equipment OF the railways
which the federal administration
planned could not be completed
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