The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-05-21
Wartime Prohibition Held Unnec.
essary Now by President in
Message to SoIons.
ASKS REPEAL OF LAW
Return of Telegraph and Telephone
lines to Owners Is Urged, Rail-
roads to Follow Like Course
at End of Year.

Washington, May 81. - President
Wilson in his message to congress
recommended repeal of the wartime
prohibition law-so far as 1t applies to
wine and beer only; announced def
nitely that the railroad systems and
telegraph and telephone lines should
be returned to private ownership;
urged a revision of war taxes, par
ticularly to abolish the manufacturers
and retail sales excises; and outlined
generally program respecting labor.
These were the high spots" of the
presidents message cabled from Paris.
Asks Suffrage Adoption.
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
foreign attack; spoke for legislation
to facilitate American enterprise
through the expansion of shipping, and
backed Secretary f. X. Lanes program
for land for returning soldiers.
or the Paris peace conference and
the League of Nations, the president
merely said it would be premature to
He also avoided discussion of domestic
legislation at length because of his
long absence from Washington.
Document Is Unique.
Congress heard a unique document,
the only one of its kind ever trans
mitted across the ocean from a presi
dent on foreign shore. For the first
time in six years 1t heard a presiden-
ticl message read by a reading clerk
instead of assembling to hear the
president deliver an address in person.
The recommendation for the repeal
of wartime prohibition and for return
OF the rail and wire systems, while not
unexpected by some, contained the
greatest element Of surprise and pro-
voked the most widespread comment
of the many tasks set before congress
by the president.
Puts II Up to Congress.
In his reference to prohibition, the
president did not enter extensively
into the considerations involved. De-
mobilization, he said merely, has pro-
gressed to such point that it seems
to me entirely safe now to remove the
ban upon the manufacture and sale of
wines and beers" This ban, laid sew
eral months ago to become effective
on July l only could be removed, the
president said, by congressional enact
ment.
His recommendation regarding re-
turn of the railways and wire lines
was the frst authoritative declaration
by the administration of its future pol
icy and greatly surprised many mem
bers who had interpreted the develop
ments OF the last few months to mean
that Mr.. Wilson eventually would pro-
pose some form of permanent govern
ment operation. On the contrary, the
directness of the presidents declara-
tion on that point left no doubt that
he was through with any possible
scheme of permanent retention.
Roads Returned at Years End.
'The telegraph and telephone lines"
said the message, will, Of course, be
returned to their owners as soon as
the transfer can be effected without
administrative confusion. The rail-
roads will be handed over to their
owners at the end of the calendar
year"
In the case of each the president
asked for legislation to make easier
the readjustments necessitated by the
change.