The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-12-13

gress charged with budget legislation.
81 trust that the congress will give
its immediate consideration to the
problem of future taxation. Simplifi-
cation of the income and profits taxes
has become an immediate necessity.
They must, however, be simplified, not
only to save the taxpayers incOnyeni-
ence and expense, but in order that
his liability may be made certain and
definite.
With reference to the details Of the
revenue laws, the secretary OF the
treasury and the commissioner OF in
ternal revenue will lay before you for
your consideration certain amend
ments necessary or desirable in con-
neCti0n with the administration OF the
law recommendations which have my
approval and support.
There are other matters Of import
ance upon which | urged action at the
last session OF congress which are still
pressing for solution. / am sure it is
not necessary for me to again remind
you that there is one immediate and
very practicable solution resulting
from the war which we should meet
in the most liberal spirit 1t is a mat
ter of recognition and relief to our
soldiers. can do no better than
quote from my last message urging
this very action: I'VE must see to
| 1t that our returning soldiers are as
sisted 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 main
| tanning upon an adequate scale the adj
mirable 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 Gre
ating new opportunities for individual
enterprise.
"The secretary Of the interior has
pointed out the way by which return
ing soldiers may be helped to find and
take up land In the hitherto unde-
veloped regions of the country which
the federal government has already
prepared or can readily prepare for
cultivation and also on many of the
cutover OF neglected areas which lie
within the limits of the older states;
and | once more take the liberty of
recommending very urgently that his
plans shall receive immediate and sub
stantial support of congress.
mo one who has observed the
march of events of the last year can
fail to note the absolute need of a
definite program to bring about an
improvement in the condition of la
Dor. There can be no settled condi-
tions leading to increased production
and a reduction Iii the cost of living If
labor and capital are to be antago-
nistic instead of partners. Sound
thinking and an honest desire to Serve
the interests of the whole nation as
distinguished from the interests of
class must be applied to the solution
of this great and pressing problem.
The failure of other nations to consid-
er this matter In a vigorous way has
produced bitterness and jealousies and
antagonisms, the food of radicalism.
The only way to keep men from agi-
tating against grievances is to remove
the grievances. An unwillingness
even today to discuss these matters
produces only dissatisfaction and gives
comfort to the extreme elements in
our country which endeavor to stir up
| disturbances in order to provoke gov
ernments to embark upon course of
retaliation and repression. The seed
of revolution is repression. The rem
edy for these things must not be mega
tive in character. It must BE con-
structive. 1t must comprehend the
general interest. The real antidote for
the unrest which manifests itself is
not suppression, but deep considera-
ton of the wrongs that beset our ma
tional life and the application of
remedy.
Congress has already shown it's will
| ingness to deal with these Industrial
wrongs by establishing the eight-hour
day as the standard in every field of
labor. 1t has sought to find way to
prevent" child labor. 1t has served the
whole country by leading the way in
developing the means of preserving
and safeguarding the lives and health
In dangerous industries. It must now
help in the difficult task of finding a
method that will bring about genu-
inc characterization of industry, based
upon the full recognition of the right
of those who work in every rank to
participate in some organic way in
every decision which directly affects
their welfare. It is with this pur-
pose in mind that called a confer
ence to meet in Washington on Deem
Der l to consider these problems in
all their broad aspects, with the idea
Of bringing about better understand
ing between these two interests.
This is the hour Of test and trial
for America By her proves and
strength and the indomitable courage
of her soldiers she demonstrated her
power to vindicate on foreign battle
fields her conceptions of liberty and
Justice. Let not her influence as a
mediator between capital and labor be
| weakened and her own failure to set
tie matters of purely domestic concern
be proclaimed to the world.
There are those in this country who
| threaten direct action to force their
viii upon majority.
Russia today, with its blood and
terror, is a painful object lesson of the
| power of miriorities. 1t makes little
difference what minority It is; wheth-
or capital OF labor, or any other class;
no sort of privilege will ever be per-
mitted to dominate this country We
are partnership or nothing that is
worth while. We are a democracy,
where the majority are the masters.
or all the hopes and purposes of the
men who founded this government
have been defeated and forgotten.
I'm America there is but enc way
by which great reforms can be ac-