Republican farmer., 1918-05-31
PRESIDENT TAXES HOLD
 OF THE TAX SITUATION
Appears Before Congress Today and Urges Immedi-
 ate Action. AGREEMENT FOR
 DELAY FAILED Asks for Elimination of Pol itics From Consideration New Tax on Income,

Washington, May 27-Just as the German cannon were laundering their herald of the renewed offensive on the west ern battle front President Will son today appeared before cun- gress and demanded that, lay ing political considerations and all others aside, it remain in session until it has enacted new war tax laws to finance the growing cost of the war and prepare the country for the burden itm ust bear.
 | At the conclusion of his prepared address the President pausing, laid his hand over his manuscript and added another precedent breaker to the long list he has established in his dealings with Congress. He addressed the as- semblage extemporaneously, speaking earnestly and forcefully, while his auditors sat in a rapt and surprised silence.
 May I add this word, gentlemen ,' he said. Just as I was leaving the White House I was told that the ex- l t1Ad driE ha hoI parently been begun. You apparently realize how that solemnized my feel ing as I came to you and how i, seemed to strengthen the purpose which I have tried to express in these lines.
 'I have admired the work of this session. The way in which the two houses of Congress have co-operated with the executive has been generous and admirable and it is not in any spirit of suggesting duty neglected, but only to remind you of the common cause and the common obligations that I have ventured to come to you today"
 The presidents address follows:
 Gentlemen of the Congress:
 It is with unaffected reluctance that I come to ask you to prolong your ses- sion long enough to provide more adequate resources for the treasury for the conduct of the war. I have reason to appreciate as fully as you do how arduous the session has been Your labors have been severe and
 protracted. You have passed a long
 series of measures which required tht
 debate of many doubtful questions ol
 judgment and many exceedingly diff cult questions Of principle as well a of practice. The summer is upon u.
 in which labor and counsel are twice arduous and are constantly apt to bt impaired by lassitude and fatigue The elections are at hand and wt : ought as soon as possible to go anc render an intimate account of oul trusteeship to the people who dele gated us to act for them in the
 weighty and anxious matters tha crowd upon us in these days of criti cal choice and action. But we dart not go to the elections until we have done our duty to the full. These art days when duty stands stark ana naked and even with closed eyes W. | Know IL IS there. excuses are Un availing. We have either done oul duty or we have not. The fact vii be as gross and plain as the duty it self. In such a case lassitude anC
 fatigue seem negligible enough. Tn, facts are tonic and suffice to fresheI , the labor.
 5 And the facts are these. Addi
 tional revenues must manifestly b l provided for. It would be a most un } sound policy to raise too large a pro 3 portion of them by loan and it is evi dent that the four billions now pro 3 vided for by taxation will not o = themselves sustain the greatly enlarg
 ed budget to which we must immedi ately look forward. We cannot fl l fairness wait until the end of the ifs i; cal year is at hand to apprise our peo /; pie of the taxes they must pay ol e their earnings of the present calen
 dar year, whose accountings and ex
 penditures will then be closed. W
 cannot get increased taxes unless tn
 country knows what they are to b
 and practices the necessary econom to make them ayajls bln ["