Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-05-23

President Wilson, in his message
to congress, recommended repeal OF
wartime prohibition law-so far as
it applies to wine and beer only
urged revision of war taxes, partic-
ularly to abolish the manufacturers
and retail excuses; and outlined gem
orally a program respecting labor.
These were the high spots" of the
presidents message cabled from
Paris.
Besides that, he again urged en-
actment of the woman suffrage con-
stitutional amendment; recommended
that the tariff laws be supplied with
teeth to protect American industry
against foreign attacks; spoke for
legislation to facilitate American en-
terprise through the expansion of
shipping, and backed Secretary
Lanes program for land for return
ing soldiers.
Of the Paris peace conference and
the League of Nations, the preSi-
dent merely said it would be pre-
mature to discuss them or express
Judgment He also avoided dis
cussion of domestic legislation, al
length, because of his long absence
from Washington.
a Unique Document
Congress heard a unique document
the only one of it's kind ever trans
mitted across the ocean from a pres
ident on a foreign shore. For the
first time in six years it heard g
presidential message read by read
ing clerk instead of assembling tC
hear the president deliver an address
in person.
The recommendations for the re.
peal of wartime prohibition and foi
return of the rail and wire systems
while not unexpected by some, con
tanned the greatest element of sur
prise and provoked the most wide
spread comment of the many task
set before congress by the presi
dent.
In his reference to prohibition, ths
president did not enter extensively
into the considerations involved. De
mobilization, he said, merely has
progressed to such a point that /
seems to me entirely safe now to re
move the ban upon the manufacture
and sale of lines and beers. Thi!
ban, laid several months ago to be
come effective on July 1, could only
be removed, the president said, b1
! congressional enactment.
Rail Plan a Surprise
! turn of the railways and wire line!
| was the first authoritative declara
| ton by the administration of it's flu
ture policy and greatly surprised
| many members who had interpreted
! the developments of the past few
months to mean that Mr.. Wilson
eventually would propose some form
of permanent government operation
On the contrary, the directness of tn
presidents declaration on that poin
left no doubt that he was through
with any possible scheme of perma
nent retention.
"The telegraph and telephon
lines" said the message, will, o
! course, be returned to their owner
as soon as the transfer can be eff
fected without administrative con
| fusion. The railroads will b
handed over to their owners at, tn
end of the calendar year"
In the case of each, the presiden
4 asked for legislation to make easie
the readjustments necessitated b,
the change.
Els Tariff Policy
In his recommendation for read
justment of taxation the presiden
made it clear that he did not eXpec
a fundamental reimbursement of tn
Democratic tariff rates that hav
been operative for the past fiv
years. He asked for tariff change
only to protect special new interest
/ like the dyestuffs industry. Some re
auctions were advocated in War-tim
] excess profits taxes and the presen
taxes on retail sales the preSiden