The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1919-03-07
Inn nnu naun II n
WIL1UN 1AI1 j. ].
WILL AID STATES
OPENING OF THE WHITE HOUSE
CONFERENCE OF GOVERNORS
AND MAYORS.
REIMBURSEMENT PROBLEMS
President Hopes Conference Discus
sion viii Assume a Wide Range,
Including Means Of Restoring
Conditions To Normal.

Washington. = Opening the white
house conference OF governors and
mayors on peace-time business and la.
Dor problems, President Wilson prom.
ised that the federal governments
would consider itself the servant OF
the states, municipalities and counties
in solving REIMBURSEMENT problems, and
would perform its duty guided by sug.
gestions Of the conference.
The president said he hoped the con.
ference discussion would assume a
wide range. including means OF restor.
tng labor conditions to a normal basis
as soon as possible, land to effecting
such fresh aiiocation of labor and in.
dustry as the circumstances may make
necessary"
President Wilson said:
] wish that could promise myself the
pleasure and the profit of taking part in
your deliberations. / find that nothing
deliberate Is permitted me since my re-
turn. have been trying, under the guild
ance OF my secretary, Mr.. Tumulty, to do
hoping that not all OF 1t has been done
badly, but inasmuch as there is neces-
sary pressure upon my time. / know that
you will excuse me from taking part In
your conference, much as / should be
pr0fited by doing so.
My pleasant duty Is to bid YOU a
hearty welcome and to express my gratifi-
cation that so many executives of cities
and OF states have found the time and
the inclination to come together on the
very important matter we have to discuss.
The primary duty Of caring for our peo-
pie In the Intimate matters that we want
10 discuss here, OF course, falls upon the
states and upon the municipalities and the
function OF the federal government Is to
do what 1t Is trying to do in a conference
OF this sort-draw the executive minds
OF the country together so that they may
profit by each others suggestions and
plans, and so that we may offer our serv-
ices to coordinate their efforts in any
way that they may deem Ii wise to CO.
ordinate. In other words, ii Is the privi-
lege OF the federal government In matters
OF this sort TO be the servants of the ex-
ecutives OF the states and municipalities
and counties, and we shall perform that
duty with the greatest pleasure II you will
guide US with your suggestions.
! hope that the discussions OF this con-
ference will take as wide a scope as you
may think necessary. we are not met
We are not met to discuss the proper
method OF restoring all the labor condi-
tons OF the country to a normal basis as
soon as possible, and to effect such fresh
Allegations OF labor and industry as the
circumstances may make necessary. /
think l can testify from what have seen
on the other side Of the water, that We
are more fortunate than other nations in
respect to these great problems. Our in
dustries have been disturbed and disor-
ganized-disorganized as compared with
o peace basis, very seriously. indeed, by
the war, but not so seriously as the in
dustries Of other countries; and IL seems
TO me, therefore, that we should approach
these problems that we are about to dis
cuss with a great deal Of confidence
with good deal OF confidence that II we
have common purpose we can realize
that common purpose without serious or
insurmountable difficulties.
The thing that has impressed me most,
gentlemen, not only in the recent weeks
when have been In conference on the
other side OF the water, hut for many
months before ! went across the water,
was this: We are at last learning that the
business of government is to take coun-
sci for the average man. We are at last
learning that the whole matter Of pros
perity OF peoples runs down into the great
body OF the men and women who do the
work Of the world, and that the process
Of guidance is not completed by the mere
success of great enterprises-it' is COM
pleted only by the standard OF the benefit
that II confers upon those who in the
obscure ranks of life contribute to the
success of those enterprises.
The hearts Of men and women and chill
dren of the world are stirred now In a
way that has never been known before.
They are not only stirred by their individ-
ual circumstances, but they are beginning
10 get a vision OF what the general circum-
etc af ha
the first time In history an international
sympathy which is quick and vital-a
sympathy which does not display itself
merely in the contract OF governments.
but displays itself In the silent intercourse
Of sympathy between great bodies that
constitute great nations, and the signifi-
cause OF conference like this Is that We
are expressing In It, and viii, believe,
express in the results of this conference,
cur consciousness that we are servants
Of this great silent mass of people who
constitute the United States, and that as
their servants II Is our business, as i fs
our privilege, 10 find out how we can best
assist in making their lives what they
wish them to be, giving them the opportu-
mites that they ought TO have. assisting
upon which thu happiness Of men depends:
And 90 I am the more distressed That
can not take part In these conuses BE-
oauss my present business Is 20 under
stand what plain men eferywnere Wsnt.
Il 4 perfectly understood IN Paris that
We are not meeting there as the matters
Of anybody that w are meeting thsrs as
TIE servants or, believe II II. about 7oe,-
000. Eco people, and that unless We show
nat We understand the business OF serv-
snts, We win not satisfy them and We
Will not accomplish the peace d the world.
snd thai n ne show that We want TO serve
aly Interests but theirs We win have be-
esfns candidates for the most lasting dis-
credit that win ever attach to men In
history.
And 80 II 10 with this profound feeling
AZ tha sixniflcanee of the things you are
un6 ertaffnr that bid ron welcome. be-
cause believe you have coma together In
ths spirit which ! have tried to indicate.
and thst We WIN together concert meth
ods Of cooperation and individual notion
which will really accomplish what we
wish 70 see accomplished IN steadyinx and
sasing and facilitating the whole labor
processes Of the United States.
EXPLOSION KILLS THREE.