New-York tribune., 1919-03-04


by force.
Alien Policy Indorscd
The conference was so pleased by the
secretary account Of his attitude tow
ard the Bolshcviki and the revolution
ary aliens that resolution was spon-
taneously adopted ndorsng his stand.
Secretary Baker added note Of op-
tlmlsm in his account of how war in
dust1y was being tapered Off. instead
or plnched Off. and how the wheels
were turning rapidly to adjust can
collation. of contracts. including, now,
those informal contracts lack of valid
ity of which has held up needed ad-
Justments for months and has been one
of the contributing sources Of business
stagnation and unemployment
secretary Daniels told how the navy
ls employing more labor than at the
busiest period of the war and Of the
long continued demand for labor in his
department, arising from the fact that
the expansion of the navy is going on
rapidly and that the permanent person
mel would he five times as large as
before the war.
President Wilson was enthusiastic
cally received by the members of the
conference. mingled with them at the
buffet luncheon served in the White
House and came out smilingly later to
be photographed by the movie and still
camera man along with the forty-six
| governors or their representatives, and
the hundred-odd mayors of major cities
who are attending the conference.
Text of Presidents Speech
The President, in his speech to the
delegates, said:
MIR. Secretary and Gentlemen of
the Conferences: | wish that could
promise myself the pleasure and the
profit of taking part in your delibera-
tions. | find that nothing deliberate
is permitted since my return. | have
been trying, under the guidance of
my secretary, Mr.. Tumulty, to do a
months work in week, and | am
hoping that not all Of it has been
done badly, but inasmuch as there is
a necessary pressure upon my time
l know that you will excuse me from
taking part in your conference, much
as / should be proiited by doing so.
My pleasant duty is to bid you
very hearty welcome and to express
my qualification that so many execu-
tlves of cities and of states have
found the time and the inclination
to come together on the very i'm
portant 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 upon the states and upon the
municipalities, and the function of
the Federal government is to do
what 1T is trying to do in confer
ence OF this sort-draw the oxccu-
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 thew
may deem it wise to coordinate.
Asks Advice of States
ain other words, 1t is the privilege
of the Federal government in mat
ters of this sort to be the 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.
81 hope that the discussion of this
conference will take as wide scope
as you think necessary We are not
, to discuss any single or narrow sub
ject. We are met to discuss the
!, proper method Of restoring all the
labor conditions Of the country to a
, normal basis as soon as possible and
of effecting such fresh ALLEGATIONS of
labor and industry as the circum-
stances may make necessary.
Cites European Conditions
81 think | 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 industries have
, been disturbed and disorganzed-
disorganized as compared with a
peace basis, very seriously indeed, by
the war, but not so seriously as the
. industries of other countries; and it
seems to me, therefore, that we
should approach these problems that
we are about to discuss with q good
deal of confidence-wit good deal
of confidence that if we have com
mon purpose we gan realize that COM
mon purpose without serious or in
surmountablc difficulties.
"The thing that has impressed me
mOst gentlemen. not Only in the re
cent weeks when ] have been in con-
ference on the other side of the
water, but for many months before
| went across the water, was this:
eve are at last learning that the
business Of government is TO take
counsel for the average men. We are
at last learning that the whole mat
ter 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 guild
ance Is not completed by the nero
success OF great entcrpriso~-it Is
completed only by tho standard OF
the benefit that It confcrs upon those
who In tho obscure ranks OF life con.
tribute to the success Of those enter
pr!ses. -