Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-12
1Ov, TOWNSEND
OUTLINES VIEWS
ON LEGISLATION
Asks That Special Session be
Devoted to War
Measures.
HE OFFERS SUGGESTIONS
star Correspondence of Every Evening

star correspondence of Every Evening
state House. Dover, March IL
Governor Townsend. in an address be-
fore the members of the Legislature, at a
lnint assembly Yesterday afternoon, fol-
loving the delivery of his message, tele-
craphed to Every Evening yesterday,
outlined hls views on the duties of the
body al The present extra session.
The occasion was one of solemnIty.
Representative Hall was filed with prom
incnt people from all parts of the State,
m addition to all OF the members of the
General Assembly except Senator Webb,
who was detained At home by illness
Tins. gentlemen. the governor said,
iltcr he had finished reading his message,
- my official message Now, through
eurtcsicS granted me IN the past, may |
a. YOUR indulgence for q word of per
soual explanation and in part repet-
zion I said in my inaugural address that
ut Is the theory of constitutional govern
yncnt that intimate relationship shall exist
between the executive and Legislative
acpartmcntS ro that end, | shall be
perfectly frank with you and offer, with
out reserve anv suggestions that, IN
my Judgment. the occasion demands.
hope that this will he accepted in the
fp,rlt az corporation and further, that
Tho members oi the General Assembly
VII iocl equally free IN seeking the aid and
sdvIcc within the power OF the executive
department
That this relationship has existed
during the present administration,
think YOU Will all agree. The whole
hearted and sympathetic cooperation
gwen me during the last session appeals
~ me very strongly. So much so that
,iarc speak with the expectation of your
interest.
WHY CALL WAS ISSUED
This call OF special session represents
my hest Judgment and honest conviction.
IL has been done after my best and
most careful thought. To my mind,
would bc unfair to myself, to you, to our
state. grNsIy derehct in my duty to my
country 10 her greatest Crisis, did not
ask that TO sec TO it. and definitely too,
that We. sons Of Delaware. do our full
DUTY to the nation and meet gladly in
practical fact the demands being made
anon u by the authorities at Washing
ton
lust before the close Of the session,
suu. viewing the entrance OF our country
INTO the war, generously. as YOU should.
spoke as Dclawarcans always do. Of
frrlng our All TO the nation. Expressed IN
that resolution. YOU gave unusual powers
20 the governor and showed u confidence
that hold If YOU viii pardon me, with
murr than ordinary pride. In case oi
emergency arising from conflict, nothing
more could he asked, nothing more could
l.c given As | have said before. in eX-
PLANTATION, l. was not through any pre-
meditation on your part, nor lack of in
tcrcSt or foresight. 1t provides for
emergency but not for the great prepara-
tIan for mergency rs this war IS beng
now Wagcd. You gave unlimited power
Tor raising troops and equipment. but
aid not provide for campaigns for food
production and conservation. You gave
freely OF the resources of the State for
military equipment, but did not provide
for the education needed to arouse our
people 10 he task before them. You gave
authority Tor drafting men in the army, f!
Il need te, hut not a word toward send |
rG the idle 10 tho farm or the shop This |
was no fault Of yours. ! Ou. rs every !
other American. failed to sense the situa- |
tlon You nor |. ever dreamed that |
conditions under which We are now living |
would ever arse. Nor were YOU lacking |
III foresight Every State IN the union |
has faccd exactly the same problems
ontEary 10 the impression circulated IN |
some quarters, and those persistent |
spokesmen for selfish interests, this session |
rs called that this State, yours and mine, !
may do now IN the present, as she has |
ever and always done. her full part toward |
the nation interest and preservation. |
] am, ! believe, guardedly jealous Of the |
state finances Nv business slant and |
training prompt me to seek results ac- |!
Cordng 10 the price. But paltry the |
sacrifice. beneath notice the criticism, that |
precludes Delaware from her part
There NAV be and Is honest and |
pertinent critics, OF the request and |
demand OF those administering this war. |
] do not question this, and reserve myself |
always the right TO express nv opinion /
on The conduct Of he affairs OF my coun- /
nv But Just nov these are not peril |
Hent The one issue before this country /
TODAY before this STATE the one dominant |
issue facing you and me, Is TO do our ut /
most toward winning this war. At an |
Inconvenience, YES AT an expense, yes |
-At q sacrifice. yes II need be with our /
al
go you are called here not to satisfy /
whlm not as al opportunity for political |
strategy. IS weak end carpIng critics /
would have YOU believe. who neither know
nor have taken pairs To ind out the needs,
hut YOU are called at a sacrifice recognized |
aud appreciated, to render largely with
the aggregate States for the preservation
Of tho~e ideals Of governments for which
your fathers have given their all
a questi0nnaire has been sent 10 every
state ia the Union TO find out just what
n being done for national assistance !
have been IN constant communication
with the National Council Their repre-
sentative has visited the State volun-
tarlly, and BY my request. To sum up
briefly, Ia keeping with other States and
I