The Pulaskian. (Pulaski Heights [Little Rock], Ark.) 1915-1929, 1919-05-23
address to Congress Is Read by
Regular Reading Clerk.
EXPLAINS HIS STAY ABROAD
,a,erative Duty Makes Absence of
chief Executive Necessary-sub-
ieot of Labor Unrest Dealt
With Exhaustively-Sugges-
tions for Domestic
Legislation.

washington, May 20.-For the first
aro in history message from the
,rosdent of the United States, cabled
from Europe, was read to the congress
today It was as follows:
aGentlemen of the Congress: /
doeply regret my inability to be pres
ont at the opening of the extraordi-
nary session of the congress. 1t still
seems TO be my duty to take part in
tbe counsel of the peace conference
and contribute what l can TO the solu-
Hop of the fnnumerable questions to
whose settlement it has had to adj
dress 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 con-
oress together at this time because it
was not wise to postpone longer the
provisions which must be made for
the support of the government. Many
Of the appropriations which are abso-
mtelgz necessary for the maintenance
Of the government and the fulfllment
Of its varied obligations for the fiscal
year 1919-1920 have not yet been
made; the end of the present fiscal
wear is at hand and action upon these
appropriations can no longer be pru-
IDENTIFY delayed It is necessary, there
fore. that I should Immediately call
your attention to this critical need.
lit is hardly necessary for me to urge
that it may receive your prompt at
tention.
I shall take the liberty Of address
Ing you on my return on the subjects
which have most engrossed our at
tention and the attention of the world
during those anxious months, since
the armistice of last November was
i signed the international settlements
which must form the subject matter
1 Of the present treaties of peace and
Of our national action in the immedi-
ate future. 1t would be premature to
discuss them or to express a judg-
4 ment about them before they are
brought to their complete formulation
Hby the agreements which are now be-
fling sought at the table of the confer
ence shall hope to lay them before
you in their many aspects so soon as
arrangements have been reached.
Rights of the Worker.
"The question which stands at the
front of all others in every country
amidst the present great awakening is
Hthe question of labor; and perhaps l
4 can speak Of it with as great advan-
6age while engrossed in the considera-
Eton of interests which affect all coun-
tries alike as l could at home and
amidst the interests which naturally
most affect my thought, because they
are the interests of our own people.
By the question of labor l do not
mean the question of efficient indus
EIflal production, the question of how
TABOR Is to be obtained and made ef-
Efecuye in the great process of sustain
.ng populations and winning success
Efnlost commercial and industrial
ErValries. | mean that much greater
@fad more vital question, how are the
Enen and women who do the daily la
~ Of the world to obtain progressive
Improvement in the conditions of their
aoof, to be made happier, and TO be
RerSed better by the communities and
IL industries which their labor sus-
Rains and advances? How are they to
IL gwen their right advantage as citi-
ems and human beings?
we cannot go any further in our
present direction. We have already
|sone too far We cannot live our right
r. as nation or achieve our proper
ruCVess as an industrial community If
aplal and labor are to continue to
ahtagonistic instead of being part
III. II they are to continue to dis
Ss' one another and contrive how
~ can get-tlre better OF one another.
"uat perhaps amounts to the same
s' calculate by what form and de-
~ VI coercion they can manage to
wit on the one hand work enough
make enterprise profitable, on the
~ Justice and fair treatment enough
- IaAe HE tolerahle. That bad road
bO,a .ufned out blind alley. 1t is no
NV sVushfare to real prosperity. We
~ md another, leading in another
seaon and to very different desti-
Eom MN 1t must lead not merely to ac-
ooouatlon, but also to genuine
M Sperauon and partnership based
|bart;a ieai community of interest and
aucpation in control.
IOs aaere Is now in fact real COM
'bhos NV u interest between capital and
EN- NJ !, out 1t has never been made evil
tiva ~ action. 1t can be made oper-
kanl,. anu manifest only on a new Or
Iur hna' OF industry. The genius of
ID, BUSINESS men and the sound. prac-
ors sense y Of our workers can certainly
hev sucn partnership out when once
hev Eau sealize exactly what 1t is that
On men Mex and sincerely adopt com.