The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1919-05-21
Early Return of Wires a1ad Railroads arad Modified
Prohibition Laev Urged iro Presidents MESSAGE

CONVICTIONS; and !, for one, covet for
our country the distinction of being
| among the first to act in great re-
form.
Return of Wires
The telegraph and telephone lines
Will, Of course, be returned to their
, owners so soon as the retransfer can
be effected without administrative
confusion, so soon, that is, as the
change can be made with least posi-
bic Inconvenience to the public and to
| the owners themselves. The railroads
will be handed over to their owners at
the end of the calendar year; if were
IN immediate contact with the admin
| lstrative questions which must gov
ern the transfer Of the telegraph and
telephone lines, / could name the ex-
act date for their return also. Until
l am in direct contact with the p,'ac-
tlcal questions involved / can ONLY
suggest that in the case of the tele-
graphs and telephones, as in the case
OF the railways, it is clearly desirable
IN the public interest that some legis-
| lation should be considered which NAV
tend to make of these indispensable
lnstrumcntalitics Of our modern life
uniform and coordinated system
| which will afford those who use them
! as complete and certain means of
communication with all parts of the
country, as has SO long been afforded
! by the postal system of the govern
ment, and at rates as uniform and in
telligible. Expert advices is, of course
! available in this very practical mat
ter, and the public interest is mani
fest. Neither the telegraph nor the
! telephone service of the country can
! be said to be in any sense a national
! system. There are many confuSions
and Inconsistencies of rates. The So
, entific means by which communication
i by such, inStrumentalities could be
, rendered more thorough and satisfac-
; tory has not been made full use Of
An exhaustive study of the whole
/ question of electrical communication
! and of the means by which the central
authority of the nation can be used
tounify and improve it, if under
taken, by the appropriate committees
; of the Congress would certainly result,
, indirectly, even if not directly, in
great public beneft. >.
Wines and Beers.
1.-The rehabilitation of the military
! forces of the country has progressed
! to such a point that It seems to me
entirely safe now to remove the ban
! upon the manufacture and sale of
wines and beers, but am advised
that without further legislation have
not the legal authority to remove the
present restrictions. I therefore rec
ommend that the act approved No
| Vember 2l, 1918, entitled, An act to
enable the Secretary of Agriculture
; to carry out, during the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1919, the purpose of
the act entitled "An act to provide
further for the national security and
defense by stimulating agriculture
and facilitating the distribution Of
agricultural products" and for other
purposes, amended or repealed in so
far as it applies to wines and beers.
Il sincerely trust that shall very
soon be at my post in Washington
again to report upon the matters
which made my presence at the peace
table apparently imperative, and to
put myself at the service of tho Con-
gress in every matter of adminstra-
tion or counsel that may seem to de-
mand executive action or advice.
"Woodrow Wilson.
"20 May, 1919"