Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-12-10


loss where 70 gain a livelihood I'M
less pains are taken 70 guide them
and put them in the way of work.
There will be large floating re-
siduum of labor which should be left
wholly to shift for itself. Ii seems TO
me important, therefore, that the de
velopment of public works Of every
sort should be created, for unskilled
labor in particular, and that plans
should be made for such developments
of our unused lands and our natural re-
sources as we have hitherto lacked
stimulation to undertake.
Cites Practical Plans.
particularly direct your attention
to the practical plans which the sec
rotary of the interior has developed in
his annual report and before your COM
mittees for the reclamation of arid,
swamp and cut-over lands which might,
if the states were willing and able to
cooperate, redeem some 300,000,000
acres of land for cultivation. There
are said to be 15,000,000 or 20.000,000
acres of land in the West at
present arid, for whose reclamation wa
ter is available. if properly conserved
There are about 230,000000 acres from
which the forests have been cut but
which have never yet been cleared for
the pillow, and which lie waste and des-
olate. These lie scattered all over the
Union. And there are nearly S0,000,-
- mn
or subject to periodical overflow or
too wet for anything but grazing
which it is perfectly feasible to drain
and protect and redeem.
Problem Economic One.
So far as our domestic affairs are
concerned the problem of our return
to peace is problem of economic
and industrial REIMBURSEMENT. That
problem is less serious for US than
it may turn out 10 be for the ma
tons which have suffered the disar-
rangementS and the losses of war
longer than we. Our people, more
over, do not wait to be coached and
led. They know their own business,
are quick and resourceful at every
REIMBURSEMENT, definite in purpose, and
self-reliant in action.
While the war lasted we set up
many agencies by which to direct the
industries of the country in the serv-
ices it was necessary for them to rem
der, by which to make sure of an
abundant supply of the materials
poa6a6 NV xrbiob no aboaIy l.
ings that could for the time be dis
penSed with and stimulate those that
were most serviceable in war, by
which to gain for the purchasing de-
partmentS of the government q certain
control over the prices of essential
articles and materials, by which to
restrain trade with alien enemies,
make the most of the available ship
ping, and systematic financial trans
actions, both public and private, so
that there would be no unnecessary
conflict or confuSion-by which, in
short, to put every material energy of
the country in harness to draw the
common load and make of us one team
in the accomplishment Of a great
task But the moment we knew
the arlniStice to have been signed we
took the harness off. Raw materials
upon which the government had kept
its hand for fear there should not be
enough for the industries that sup
piled the armies have been released
and put into the general market again.
Great industrial plants whose whole
output and machinery had been taken
over for the uses OF the government
have been set free to return to the
uses to which they were put before
the war. 1t has not been possible to
remove so readily or so quickly the
control of foodstuffs and of shipping,
because the world has still to be fed
from our granaries and the ships are
still needed to send supplies to our
men oversee and to bring the men
back as fast as the disturbed condi-
lions on the other side of the water
permit; but even there restraints are
being relaxed as much as possible and
more and more as the weeks go by.
/ entirely concur with the secretary
Of the treasury in recommending that
the two billions needed in addition to
the four billions provided by existing
law be obtained from the profits which
have accrued and shall accrue from
war contracts and distinctively war
business, but that these taxes be con
fined to the war profits accruing in
1918, or in 1919 from business origi-
mating in war contracts.
urge your acceptance of his recon-
mendation that provision be made
now, not subsequently, that the taxes
to be paid in 1920 should be reduced
from six to four billions.
Asks Support of Congress.
May l not hope, gentlemen of the
congress, that in the delicate tasks
shall have to perform on the other
side of the sea, in my efforts truly and
faithfully to interpret the principles
and purposes of the country we love,
| may have the encouragement and
the added strength of your united
support? I realize the magnitude and
difficulty of the duty I am undertak.
ing. l am poignantly aware of its
grave responsibilities. l am the ser
gant of the nation. / can have no pri.
vate thought or purpose of. my own
in performing such an errand. / GO
to give the best that is in me to the
common settlements which l must
now assist in arriving at in conference
with the other working heads of the
associated governments.
/ shall count upon your friendly
countenance and encouragement. /
shall not be inaccessible. The cables
and the wireless will render me avail
able for any counsel or service you
may desire of me, and / shall be hap
In, thn N, In.ar, 80.