Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-08-22
PRESIDENT URGES SPEEDY ACTION.

President Wilson began the CON
ference with the members of the
Senate foreign relations committee
Tuesday morning with statement
OF the Peace Treaty and the League
of Nations. He said:
Mr.. Chairman IL am sincerely
glad that the committee should have
responded in this way to my in
timation that would like TO be
OF service TO il. l welcome the OPP
portunity for frank and full in
terchange of views.
! hope, too. that this conference
will serve to expedite your consid-
Grafton of the treaty of peace. |
beg that you will pardon and in
dulge me if l again urge that prac-
tically the whole task of bringing
the country back to normal condi-
lions OF life and industry waits on
the decision Of the Senate with re-
gard to the terms of the peace.
l venture thus again to urge my
advice that the action of the SEN
ate with regard TO the treaty be
taken at the earlies practicable mo-
mcnt, because the problems with
which we are face 10 face in the
readjuStment Of our national life
are OF the most pressing and critical
character, will require for their
proper solution the most intimate
and disinterested cooperation of
all parties and all interests, and
cannot be postponed without mani
fest peril TO our people and to all
the national advantages We hold
most dear. May ! mention a few
OF the matters which cannot be
handled with intelligence until the
country knows the character of the
peace ii is TO have? l do so only
by very few samples.
The copper mines of Montana
and Alaska, for example, are being
kept open and in operation only
at great cost and loss, in part
upon borI owed money; the zinc
mines Of Missouri, Tennessee, and
Wisconsin are being operated at
about one-half their capacity; the
lead of Idaho, Illinois and Missouri
reaches only a portion of its former
market; there is an immediate need
for cotton betting, aud also for lu-
bricating oil, which cannot be met
all because the channels of trade
arc barred by war when there is
no war.
The same is true of raw cotton
of which the Central Empires alone
formerly purchased nearly 1000,
600 bales. And these are ONLY ex.
amRies. There is hardly single
raw material, single important
foodstuff. .or a single class of manu-
featured goods which is not in the
same case. Our full. normal profit.
able, production waits on peace.
Our military plans, of course
wait upon it. We cannot inteHi-
gently or Wisely decide how large
naDal or military force we shall
maintain or LUhat our policy With
regard TO military training is to be
HnHi ne haze peace, not OnIy, bui
also until zoe knOW hOW peace is
TO be sustained, Whether BIZ the
arms OF single nations or by the
, concert of all The great DeoDles
And there is more than that diff.
Gully involved.
The vast surplus properties OF
the army include moi food and
clothing merely whose sale will af.
feet normal production but great
manufacturing establishments also
which should be restored to their
former uses, great stores of ma.
chine tools and all sorts of merch-
andIse which must lie idle until
peace and military policy are defin.
itely determined. BY the same
token there can be no properly
studied national budget until then