Republican farmer., 1919-03-07
Makes Statement in Vel coming Governors and Mayors to Conference. SEC. WILSON WARNS
 AGAINST SOVIET Business of Government Is to Take Counsel for the
 Average Man.

V" PCHhNC-CIAlAC bSAS1AACSS uAAO labor problems today, PreSi- dent Wilson promised that the Federal government would consider itself the servant of the states, municipalities and counties in solving readjust- ment problem, and would per- form it's duty guided by sugges- lions of the cOnference.# Secretary of Labor Wilson, who presided at the opening session, told the conference that the recent strikes at Seattle, Butte, Lawrence and other places were not industrial economic disputes in their origin, but were re- suits of a deliberate, organized at- tempt as a social and political move ment to establish Soviet governments in the United States,
 The President said he hoped the conference discussion would assume a wide range, including means of re- storing labor conditions to a normal basis as soon as possible, and to et- fectng such fresh allocations of labor and industry as the circumstances may make necessary
 Touching upon the Peace Confer ence, he said the conferees at Paris regarded themselves only as servants of about seven hundred million peo- pie of the world, and not as their masters
 Consequently, said the President, the Conferees are anxious to keep in P1 ha whom they represent, Ito find out how we can best assist in making their lives what they wish them to be by giving them the opportunity that they ought to have"
 The President spoke briefly, con- fning himself largely to welcomins 2 the visitors and promising complete federal cooperation. He explaineG { that the demands upon his time dur ing the day and a half he could re- main in Washington made it impos- sible for him to participate in the conference.
 The President said:
 T wish that I could promise my self the pleasure and the profit Of taking part in your deHberations. I find that nothing deliberate is per mitted me since my return. l have been trying under the guidance of my secretary, NIT. Tumulty, to do months work in a week, and I am hoping that not all of 1t has been done badly, but inasmuch as there Is a necessary pressure upon my time, I know that you will excuse me from taking a part in your conference, much as l should be profited by doing so.
 My pleasant duty is to bid you g hearty welcome and to express my qualification that so many executives of cities and of states have found tho time and the inclination to come to- gether on the very important matter we have to discuss.
 The primary duty of caring for our people in the intimate matters that we want to discuss here. of course falls on the states and upon the municipalities and the function of the Federal government and is to do what it is trying to do in 8 con ference of this sort-draw the execu- tive minds of. the country together so that they may profit by each others suggestions and plans, and so that we may offer our services to coordinate their efforts. in any way that they may deem it wise to coordinate. In other words, it is the privilege of the federal government in matters of this sort to be servants of the executives of the states and municipalities and counties, and we shall perform that duty with the greatest pleasure if you will guide us with your suggestions. T hope that the discussions of this conference will take as wide scope as you think necessary. We are not met to discuss any single or narrow l proper method of restoring all the la Dor conditions of the country to normal basis as soon as possible and to effect such fresh aIlocations of la bor and industry the circumstances may make necessary. I think I can 1 testify from what I have seen on the other side of the water, that we are more fortunate than other nations in respect to these great problems. Our industries have been disturbed and zed---disorganized as com pared with a peace basis. very sert- ously, indeed, by the war, but not so seriously as the industries of other countries; and it seems to me, there fore. that we should approach these problems that we are about to discuss with a gerat deal of confidence confPd fence that if we have a common purpose we can realize that common purpose without serious or insur- mountable difficulties
 "The thing that has impressed mo most gentlemen, not only in the re- { cent weeks when I have been in con- ference on the other side of the wa l ter, but for many months before went across the water, was this: We are at last learning that the business of government is to take counsel for the average man. We are at last 1 learning that the whole matter of the prosperity 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 completed only by the standard of the benefit that it confers upon those who in the ob- scure ranks of life contribute to the success of those enterprises.
 4 The hearts of the men and women
 and children of the world are stirred