Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1919-05-30

Iy0egret my inability to be present at
the opening of the extraordinary SEES
sion Of the congress. 1t still seems to
be my duty to take part in the cOun-
sells of the peace conference and con-
tribute what | can TO the solution of
the innumerable questions to whose
settlement II has had to address itself;
peace Of the whole world and from
them, therefore. the United States can
not stand apart. ! deemed II my duty
to call the congress together at this
time because II was not wise to post
pOne longer the provisions which must
he made for the support of the govern
ment. Many of the appropriations
which are absolutely necessary for the
maintenance of the government and
the fulfillment Of its varied obligations
for the fiscal year 1919-192O have not
vet been made; the end of the present
fiscal year is at hand and action upon
these appropriations can no longer he
prudently delayed. 1t is necessary,
therefore, that should Immediately
cali your attention to this critical
need. 1t is hardly necessary for me to
urge that It may receive your prompt
attention.
Il shall take the liberty Of address
ing you on my return on the subjects
which have most engrOssed our atten.
ton and the attention of the world
during these last anxious months.
Domestic Legislation.
II hesitate to venture any opinion
or press any recommendation with re-
gard to domestic legislation while alb
sent from the United States and out
OF daily touch with intimate sources
Of information and counsel. / am con-
sciOus that need. after so long an alb
sence from Washington. to seek the
advice Of those who have remained in
constant contact with domestic prob
lens and who have known them close
mt hand from day to day; and l trust
that 1t will very soon be possible for
me to do so. But there are several
questions pressing for consideration to
which ! feel that may. and indeed
must. even now direct your attention.
II only In general terms. In speaking
Of them I shall. dare say. be doing
little more than speak your own
thoughts. I hope that l shall speak
your own judgment also.
The question which stands mt the
front of all Others In every country
amidst the present great awakening is
the question of labor; and perhaps
can speak Of II with as great advan-
tage while engrOssed in the cOnsidera-
ton Of interests which affect all coun-
tries alike as could at home and
amidst the interests which naturally
most affect my thought. because they
are the interests Of our people.
Rights Of the Worker.
by the question of labor I do not
mean the question of efficient indus.
trial production. the question Of how
labor is to be obtained and made effec-
tive in the great process of sustaining
populations and winning success
amidst commercial and Industrial RI
valries. I mean that much greater and
more vital question. how are the men
and women who do the daily labor Of
the world to obtain progressive i'm
prOvement In the conditions Of their
labor, to be made happier. and to he
served better by the communities and
the industries which their labor sus-
tains and advances? How are they
10 he given their right advantage as
citizens and human beings?
Justice to Capital and Labor.
I'VE cannot go any further in our
present direction. We have already
gone too far. We cannot live our
right life as a nation or achieve our
proper success as an Industrial COM
munity If capital and labor are to be
antagonistic instead Of being partners.
II they are to continue to distrust one
another and contrive how they can get
the better Of one another. or what per-
haps amounts to the same thing, cal
culate by what form and degree of
coercion they can manage to extort
on the one hand work enough to make
enterprise profitable. on the other JUS
tice and fair treatment enough to