The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-12-06
WILSON HOPES FOR
PEACE BY SPRING
PRESIDENT ASSERTS TRIP TO
FRANCE rs DUTY HE CAN
NOT ESCAPE FROM.
HAS NO PRIVATE PURPOSE
Declares Government Had Taken Over
Cables On Expert Advice SO Az
To Make Unified Systems
Available.

MISUNDERSTANDING that Hb HUpbu
to see a formal declaration of peace by
treaty "by the time spring has come"
President Wilson, addressing congress
in joint session, formally announced
his intention to go to Paris for the
peace conference, saying that as the
allied governments have accepted prin.
ciples enunciated by him for peace, he
considered 1t his paramount 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.
Declaring he had no private thought
or purpose" in going to France, but
that he regarded it as his highest duty,
the president added:
ut is now my duty to play my full
part in making good what they (Amer-
ica's soldiers) offered their life's blood
TO obtain"
Referring to his announcement that
the, French and British governments
had removed all cable restrictions on
the transmission of news of the con-
'erence to America, the president said
he had taken over the cable systems
on expert advice so as to make uni-
fled system available.
He expressed the hope that he would
have the cooperation of the public and
of congress, saying through the cables
and wireless constant counsel and ad-
vice would be possible.
Much of the address was devoted to
the railroad problem, for which the
president said he now had no solution
to offer. He recommended careful
study by congress, saying it would be
a disservice to the country and to the
railroads to permit a return to old
conditions under private management
without modification.
The president declared he stood
ready to release the railroads from
government control whenever a satis-
facory plan of REIMBURSEMENT could be
worked out.
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 export
priorities to assure shipment Of food to
starving people abroad.
As to taxation, the president indoors
ed the plan for levying $4,000, 100000
in 1919, and for notifying the public In
advance that the 1920 levy will be $4,-
OO0,000,OOO.
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 to a future world policy as yet
undetermined.
Paying tribute to the peoples con-
duct in war, he spoke particularly of
the work of women and again appealed |
Tor women suffrage by federal amend
ment.
Democratic representatives arose and |
applauded vociferously when the presi-
dent announced his intention OF going |
in person to the peace conference. The
republican side was silent and so were |
many senators on both sides of the
chamber.
The president concluded, after speak
ing AZ minutes, and left the chamber
amidst applause limited to the demo,
cratic eide Interruptions of the ad.
dress for questions, which had been
threatened by some republican mem.
bers OF the house, did not materialiEe