The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-05-20
House Committees Begin Work
on Three Big Problems
Which Need Immedi-
ate Action.
SENATE DISCUSSION
Preliminary Organization Disposed OF
and Session Today Listens to
President Wilson's
Message.

L.. ".
Correspondent
WASHINGTON, May 20-With pre-
liminary organization disposed OF,
Wilson's message.
Meantime house committees al
ready had begun work on three big
problems.
The appropriations committee
tackled the first of the eight appro-
priation bills which must be pub
lished by July l. Ways and means
took up the Moore bill repeating lux.
ury taxes. The postofffce committee
began consideration Of the Steenerson
measure for immediate return of the
teiegraphs and telephones to private
owners.
In the senate Hiram johnson and
Poindexter planned to pave the way
for renewed discussion of the peace
tt eaty and the Russian situation. john
son planned to introduce a resolution
directing the state department to give
the senate Immediately the full text
o. the peace treaty on the ground
that the people are entitled to know
a. once all that is in it and "to what
engagements, if any, it commits
them"
Favorably Reported.
WASHINGTON, May 20-The first
resolution to be reported out favor
ably by a house committee was the
one itroduced yesterday by Repub-
lican Leader Man providing for
woman suffrage.
Message Of President.
(By Robert J. Bender, United Press
Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON May 20.-Calling
for repeal or amendment of the war
time prohibition act as affecting
beers and wines, new organization
Of industry to benefit labor and
promising early return to their own
ers of railroads and wire lines, Presi-
dent Wilson today sent his message
to the new congress.
1t was the first time the president
has been compelled to address an all
republican congress, and his mes
sage, for the first time since he took
Office was read in both branches in
stead of being delivered in person
before a joint session. 1t was essen
tally a labor message, the president
stating at the outset that this Ques-
tion Stands at the front of all others
in every country amidst the present
great awakening
By calling for a new organization
of industry" by which workers may
have the opportunity for a genuine
partnership" and participation in
control" with capital, the president
1T is held, directly sponsors the
slogan today Of so called liberal,
labor and progressive elements in
all countries. Politicians here saw
the deepest significance in the presi-
dents stand in connection with the
next campaign. Senators Borah and
{ Kenyon Of the progressive" group
! in the senate have recently spoken
in support of new and greater con-
sideration of labor.
| The president points out that the
change must come largely through
voluntary and cooperative means
between labor and capital; that
Legislation can get only very little
way in commanding what shall be
DONE"
/ For the most part the message was
general in It's terms, necessitated, the
president said, by the fact that he
has been so long "out Of daily touch
with intimate sources of information
and counsel"
| His specific recommendation Of re-
peal or amendment of the war time
/ rohibition act came as something of
surprise. The president says he
feels the emergency has passed be-
yond the point where continued ban
on wines and beers at least is un-
necessary, but that he has not the
power to lift Il without congressional