Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1919-05-23
FAvORS REPEAL Of
WARTIME DRY LAW
PRESIDENT CABLES MESSAGE TO
SPECIAL SESSION OF CON-
GRESS FROM PARIS.
CONTAINS SOME SURPRISES
Wilson Asks for Legislation to Facili.
tate Return of Wire Lines to Own
ers-RaiI Control Will Cease
On Dec. 81.

Washington, May 81. - President
Wilson in his message to congress.
recommended repeal of the wartime
prohibition law-sO far as it 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 excuses; 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. K. Lanes program
for land for returning soldiers.
Of the Paris peace conference and
merely said it would be premature to
discuss them or express a judgment.
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 it's kind ever trans
-
dent on a foreign shore. For the first
time in six years it heard presiden-
tial message read by 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-
yoked the most widespread comment
of the many tasks set before congress
by the president.
Puts 1t 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-
crossed to such a 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 first authoritative declaration
by the administration of it's 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-
ton 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 establishments necessitated by the
change.