The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-05-20
He Recommends That Tariff
Laws Be Supplied With
Teeth to Protect Ameri-
can Industry Against For
eign Attack - M essage e
Was Read in Congress
To-day.

Washington, D. c., May 20. -Presiden
Wilson, in his message to Congress to
day recommended repeal Of the war tim
prohibition lawso far as it applies t,
wine and beer only; announced defnitel,
that the rail systems and telegraph anc
telephone lines would be returned Il
private ownership; urged revision o
war taxes, particularly to abolish the
manufacturers and retail sales excise.
and outlined generally a program re
specting labor.
These were the high spots" of the
presidents message cabled from Paris.
Besides that, he again urged enact.
ment of the woman suffrage constitu-
tional amendment; recommended that
the tariff laws be supplied with teeth to
protect American industry against for
eign attack; spoke for legislation to fa-
cilitate American enterprise through the
expansion of shipping and backed Sec
retary Lanes program for land for re-
turning soldiers. OF the Paris peace
conference and the league Of nations the
president merely said it would be prema-
ture to discuss them or express judg-
ment. He also avoided discussion of
domestic legislation at length because of
his long absence from Washington
Congress heard an unique document.
the only one of its kind ever transmitted
across the ocean from a president on a
foreign shore. For the first time in six
years it heard presidential message
read by reading clerk instead Of as
sembling to hear the president deliver
an address in person.
The recommendations for the repeal OF
wartime prohibition and for return of
the rail and wire systems, while not un-
expected by some, contained the greatest
element of surprise and provoked the
most widespread comment of the many
tasks set before Congress by the presi-
dent.
In his reference to prohibition the
president did not enter extensively into
the considerations involved. Demobiliza-
tion, he said, merely, "has progressed to
such point it seems to me entirely safe
now to remove the ban upon the manu-
facture and sales of wines and beers.n
This ban, laid several months ago to
become effective on July |, could be re-
moved, the president said, only by con-
gTessional action.
His recommendation regarding return
of the railroads and wire lines was the
first authoritative declaration by the ad-
ministration of its future policy and
greatly surprised many members who
had interpreted the developments of the
last few months to mean that Mr. Will
son eventually would propose some form
OF permanent government operation. On
the contrary, the directness of the presi-
dents declaration on that point left no
doubt that he was through with any
possible scheme of permanent retention
"The telegraph and telephone lines,
said the message, will, of course. be re-
turned to their owners as soon as the
transfer can be effected without admin
istrative confusion The rail
roads viii be handed over to their own
ers at the end of the calendar year"
In the case of each the president asked
for legislation to make easier the re-
adjustments necessitated by the change.
In his recommendation for readiust-
ment of taxation, the president made il
clear that he did not expect fundameu-
tai readjustment of the Democratic tar
if rates that have been operative for the
last SIX years. He asked for tariff |
changes only to protect special new in
terests like the dyestuffs industry Some
reductions were advocated in wal. time |
excess profits taxes, and the present
taxes on retail sales, the president
thought, could be dispensed with entire
ly
What will be the reply of the Repub |
Iican Congress to these proposals be- |
came at once the topic of discussion
everywhere about the Capitol. In re-
turning the railroads. it generally was
conceded the Republican leaders will
readily give the president their coop
Grafton. But as to prohibition and tariff |
and internal revenue taxation the case
was more doubtful. Those are problems
on which no very clear sentiment appar-
emily has been formed in either Of the
great parties.
The recommendations regarding labor
were general, but the president called
attention to the need for partnership
between capital and labor and a genuine
"democratization Of industry"
On tariff revision the president said
the United States should have the means
Continued on page three