The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-05-20


the presidents message to the extra
ordinary session of congress, cable,
from Paris and delivered today, is a
follows:N
TEXT OF MESSAGE.
The text of the message follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress--I
deeply regret my inability to be
present at the opening of the ex-
traordinary session of the congress.
! IL still seems to be my duty to
take part in the counsels of the
peace conference and contribute
what can to the solution of the
innumerable questions to whose
settlement it has had to address
itself. For they are questions
which affect the peace, of the whole
world. and from them. therefore,
the United States cannot stand
apart. deemed it my duty to call
the congress together at this time
because II was not wise to post
pone longer the provisions which
must be made for. the support of
the government. Many of fhe ap-
preparations which are absolutely
necessary Tor the niaintenarce ~
the government and the gfulfllment
of its varied obligatIons FOR the
fiscal year 1919-1920 have not yet
been made; the end of the present
fiscal year is at hand, and action
upon these appropriations can no
longer be prudently delayed. 1t is
necessary, therefore. that ! should
Immediately call your attention to
this critical need. 1t is hardly nee
essary for me to urge that it may
receive your prompt attention.
1 shall take the liberty of sd-
dressing You on my return on the
subjects which have most en-
crossed our attention and the at
tention of the world during these
last anxious months, since the ar
mistice of last November was
signed, the international settle
ments, which must form the sub
ject matter of the present treaties
of peace and of our national action
in the immediate future. 1t would
be premature to discuss them or 10
express a judgment about them
before they are brought to their
complete formulation by the agree
ments which are now being sought
at the table of the conference. I
shall hope to lay them before you
in their many aspects so soon as
arrangements have been reached.
L hesitate to venture any opin-
ion or express any recommendation
with regard to domestic legislation
while absent from the United States
and out of daily touch with inti-
mate sources of information and
counsel / am conscious that 1
need, after so long an absence from
Washington, to seek the advice of
those who have remained in con-
stant contact with domestic prop-
lens and who have known them
close at hand from day to day; and
| trust that 1t will very soon be
possible for me to do so. But there
Il r-kt H. r..
consideration to which feel that
l may, and indeed must, even now
direct your attention, II only in
general terms. In speaking of
them / shall, l dare say. be doing
little more than speak your own
thoughts. | hope that shall speak
your own judgment also.
Question Above All Others.
The question which stands at the
front of all others in every country
amidst the present great awaken
ing is the question OF labor; and
perhaps l can speak of it with as
great adVa ntage while engrossed in
the consideration of interests which
affect all countries alike as ! could
at home and amidst the interests
which naturally most affect my
thought, because they are the in
terests of our own people.
BY the question of labor do not
mean the question of efficient in
dustrial production. the question OF
how labor is to be obtained and
made effective in the great process
of sustaining populations and win
ming success amidst commercial
and industrial rivalries. ! mean
that much greater and more vital
question, how are the men and
women who DO the daily labor of
the world TO obtain progressive I'M
provement in the conditions Tor
their labor. to be made happier and
to be served better by the commun-
tiles and the industries which their
labor sustains and advanceS? How
are they to be given their right ad
vantage as citizens and human be-
ings?
We cannot go any further in our
present direction. We have already
gone too far. We cannot live our
right life as a nation or achieve
our proper success as an industrial
community If capital and labor are
TO continue to be anita gonistlc in
stead of being partners; il they are
TO continue to distrust one another
and contrive how they can get the
better OF one another. Or. what
perhaps amounts to the same thing,
calculate by what form and degree
OF coercion they can manage to eX-
tort on the one hand work enough
to make enterprise profitable, on
the other Justice and fair treat
ment enough to make life tolerable.
That bad road has turned out
blind allev. 1t is no thoroughfare
to real prosperity. We must find
another. leading in another direc-
ton and to a very different des-
tination. 1t must lead not merely
TO accommodation, but also to a
genuine cooperation and partner
ship based upon real community
of interest and participation in con-
troll
aetween Capital and Labor.
There is now in fact real com.
munity of interest. between capital
and labor. but It has never been