The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-05-23
WILSON'S WORD
! COMES BY CABLE.
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 21-In his mes
sage to congress, President Wilson
recommended repeal of the wartime
prohibition act-so far as il applies
to wine and beer only; announced
definitely that the railway systems and
telephone and telegraph lines should
be returned to private ownership;
urged revision of war taxes, particu-
larry to abolish the manufacturers and
retail sales excuses; and outlined gen.
orally a 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.
OF the Paris peace conference and
the League of Nations, the president
merely said it would be premature to
discuss them or express judgment.
He also avoided discussion of domestic
legislation at length because of his
long absence from Washington.
Document Is Unique.
Congress heard unique document,
the only one of its kind ever trans
mitted across the ocean from presi-
dent on a foreign shore. For the first
time in six years it heard presiden-
tial message read by a reading clerk
instead of assembling to hear the
president deliver an address in person.
The recommendations 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-
crossed 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 first authoritative declaration
by the administration of it's future pol
icy and greatly surprised many men,
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.