Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-03

dlately after the President had left
the Capitol.
Would Nucatc Presidential Office
1t is true there was a. slight furry
in the Senate during the fifty min
tes or so that 1t was in session be-
fore Joining tho House to listen to
the delivery of the annual address.
Senator Sherman of Illinois, Repub-
lican, had the Secretary of the Senate
read an article in the New York
Times describing the preparations
on. board the steamship George
Washington for the Presidential
party. But there was no debate.
Senator Sherman also offered q
resolution declaring the office of
President vacant while Mr.. Wilson
was out of the country. Senator
Cummins of Iowa, Republican, pre-
sented resolution providing for the
appointment of committee of eight
Senators to attend the Peace Con-
ference. A resolution similar to
Senator Shernian's, except as to the
preamble, was offered in the House
by Representative Rodenberg of
Illinois. Republican. These resolu-
tions were not acted on in either
House.
After the adjournment of the two
houses Senators and Representa-
tives commented informally on the
Presidents address. These COM
ments were various, and, for the
| most part, did not express criticism
of the President for leaving the
country at this time, and resent
l.ment over his failure to recognize
! the Senate, which is part of the
| treaty-making authority in the ap-
! pointment of his Peace Commission.
| Parusans of the President ap-
| proved what he said in the address,
/ while others were mild in their ref
erence to portions of the address
which they did not like.
The address dealt with a variety
of subjects, including the railroad
situation and the action of the Pres!-
| dent in taking over control of the
| ocean telegraphic cables. In COM
menting on the Railroads the Presi-
dent said he was not prepared to
! offer any suggestions as to what
should be done with them, but added
| he was ready to turn the roads back
! to their owners as soon as a proper
| plan is worked out.
Asks Support of Congress
In his address the President for
! mally announced his intention of
| going to participate in the peace
parleys, ard justified his course by
| the statement that, his fourteen
principles having been accepted by
| the Allies, and also by the Central
Powers, as the basis of peace, it was
! desired that he give his personal
counsel in their Interpretation and
! application" He believed it his duty
! to play his full part in making good
what the armed forces of the nation
offered their lifes blood to obtain
| Looking into the faces of Senators
and Representatives and giving full
! emphasis to his words, he said:
May l not hope, gentlemen OF
the Congress. that in the delicate
tasks | shall have to perform on
the other side of the seas in my
| efforts truly and faithfully to inter-
pret the principles and purposes OF
the country we love, may have the
encouragement and the added
strength of your united support?"
The Presidents address was de-
voted largely to the part played In
! the war by the American army. pay
! ing a high tribute to the soldiers
and referring to Pershing and Sims
as their great chiefs"
II am proud to be the fellow
countrymen of men of such stuff and
valor," he said. A similar tribute
was paid to those who helped al
! home.
The patriotism, the unselfish-
ness, the thoroughCOing devotion and
distinguished capacity that marked
their toilsome labors, day after day
month after month";" he said, "have
made them fit mates and comrades
of the men in the trenches and or
the sea-
To the women also, the President
paid high compliments for their de.
votion and .unselfish service, and Inc
advocated their enfranchisement in
/ justice to them.
Reconstruction was his principle
theme. He suggested the develop
ment of public works in order tc
/ provide employment for unskHled
| labor, and commended highly the
plan of the Interior Department tc
! reclaim 3O0.0O0,000 acres of arid
swamp and 'cutover lands. But the
| President expressed full confidence
! in the American businessmen to re-
! adjust their affairs with but little
ass stance from the government.
! "They know their own business.
/ he said, "are quick and resource
full as every readjustment, definite
! in purpose and self reliant in ac-
! ton"
He urged speedy enactment OF
the Revenue bill, together with the
! provision fixing the tax limit foI
! 1920, at $4,000, 100000. He ap-
proved the big navy program, re-
| marking that ut would clearly be
unwise fer us to attempt to adjust
! our programs to a future world pol
/ Icy Gs yet undetermined"
Problems of the Railroads
| AS to the railroads, the President
! frankly said! 81 have no confident
| Judgment of my own" He said posi-
! lively, however that 1t was his in
! tention to return the roads to their
owners before the expiration of the
! time limit fixed by law, unless some
! definite policy TO the contrary were
| decided upon.
There was three courses open, he
said. one was to release the roads
and let them go back to the old con-
| ditions of private management, un-
restricted competition, and multi
! form regulation, Another was COM
plete government control, accom-
[ panied by actual government owner
I ship If necessary, There was an
! intermediate course, he said, of
modified private control under regu-
lation and under such alterations
or the law as would prevent waste
| ful competition. Personally he Is
| opnosed tn the first method, but not