The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-21
TEXT OF PRESIDENTS
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UINI " I0IUSOlU1 v
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been brought into existence by the Diff
ficulties AMI mistaken policies of the
present management Of industry. and
by setting UP and developing new fed
eral agencies Of advice and informa-
ton which may serve as IA clearing
house for the best experiments and
the best thought on this great mat
ter. upon which every thinking man
must be aware that the future de-
velopment of society directly depends.
National Action.
Agencies of international counsel
and suggestion are presently to be Gre
ated in connection with the league of
nations in this very field; but it is
national action and the enlightened
policy OF individuals, corporations and
societies within each nation that must
bring about the actual reforms. The
members OF the committee on labor
in the two houses will hardly need
suggestions from me as to what means
they shall seek to make the federal
government the agent Of the whole
nation in pointing out. and, If need
be. guiding the process of reorganiza
ton and reform.
II am sure that II is not necessary
for me to remind you that there Is
one immediate and very practical
question of labor that we should meet
in the most liberal spirit We must
see to 1t that. our returning soldiers
are assisted In every practicable way
to find the places for which they are
fitted in the daily work OF the country,
This can be done by developing and
iV,to .~,{,x ,I r. 10
the admirable organization created by
the department Of labor for placing
men seeking work: and it can also be
done. in at least one very great field,
by creating new opportunities for in
dividual enterprise. The secretary OF
the interior has pointed out the way
by which returning soldiers may be
helped to find and take UP land In
the hitherto undeveloped regions OF
the country which the federal gov
eminent has already prepared. or can
readily prepare, for cultivation. and
also on many of the cut-over or ne
elected areas which lie within the linn
it's OF the older states; and l once more
take the liberty of recommending very
urgently that his plans shall receive
the Immediate and substantial sup
port of the congress
ditions await our commerce and in
dustrial enterprise in the immediate
future. Unusual opportunities will
presently present themselves TO our
merchants and producers in foreign
markets. and large fields for profit
able investment will be opened to our
free capital. But il is not only Of that
that L arm thinking. Many great in
dustries Frustrated by the war wait
10 .ha .rehahilitated in many parts of
The 'weotld where what will be lack
ing IL not brains or willing hands or
organizing capacity or experienced
rails and capital.
our merchants. our manufacturers
and our capitalists will have the vision
to see that prosperity in one part of
the world ministers to prosperity
everywhere: that there is in very
true sense a solidarity of interest
throughout the world of enterprise,
and that our dealings with the coun-
tries that have need of our products
and our money will teach them 10
deem us more than ever friends whose
necessities We seek in the right way
TO serve.
Our new merchant ships. which
nave III certain quarters Ueen reared
as destructive rivals, may prove help
full rivals rather and common
servants. very much needed and very
welcome. Our great shipyards. new
and old. Will be so opened to the use
OF the world that they will prove i'm
mensely serviceable to every mari
time people In restoring much more
rapidly than would otherwise have
been possible the tonnage wantonly
destroyed in the war / have only to
suggest that there are many points
at which we can facilitate American
enterprise In foreign trade by oppor-
tune legislation and make 1t easy for
American merchants to go where they
Will be welcomed as friends rather
than as dreaded antagonists. America
has a great and honorable service to
perform in bringing the commercial
and industrial undertakings OF the
world back to their old scope and
swing again and putting a solid struc-
ture OF credit under them. All our
legislation should be friendly to such
plans and purposes.
Credit and ENTERPRISE.
Credit and enterprise will be quick
cned by timely and helpful legislation
with regard to taxation. I hope that
the congress will find It possible to
undertake an early reconsideration of
federal taxes, in order to make our
system OF taxation more simple and
easy OF administration and the taxes
themselves as little burdensome as
they can be made and yet suffice to
support the government and meet all
its obligations. The figures to which
those obligations have arisen are very
great indeed, but they are not 80 great
as to make 1t difYlcult for the nation
to meet them, and meet them, per-
haps. in single generation, by taxes
which will neither crush nor discour-
age. They are not so great as they
seem. not SO great as the immense
sums we have had to borrow, added to
the immense sums we have had to
raise by taxation. would seem to indi-
cate: for large proportion OF these
sums were raised in order that they
might be loaned to the governments
with which we were associated in the
war. and these loans will, OF course.
constitute assets. not liabilities, and
Will not have to be taken care OF bv
our taxpayers.
Main thing we shall have to care
for IL that our taxation shall rest as
lightly as possible on the productive
resources Of the country. that its rates
- a b. tA