The Ocala banner., 1919-05-23

President Wilson, in his message
to congress, recommended repeal Of
the wartime prohibition law-so far
as it applies to wines and beer only;
announced definitely that the railroad
systems and telegraph and telephone
lines would be returned to private
ownership; urged a revision Of war
taxes particularly to abolish the man
ufacturers' and retail sales excises;
and outlined generally program re-
specting labor.
These were the high spots of the
presidents message cabled from Par.
is.
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 leg
islation to facilitate American enter
prise through the expansion of ship
ping, and backed Secretary Lanes
program for land for returning sol
diers.
or the Paris peace conference and
the league of nations the president
merely said it would be premature
to discuss them or express judg-
ment He also avoided discussion
of domestic legislation at length be-
cause of his long absence from Wash
ington.
Congress heard a unique document;
the only one of its kind ever trans
nitted across the ocean from pres
ident on a foreign shore. For the
first time in six years it heard pres
idential message read by a reading
clerk instead of assembling to hear
the president deliver an address in
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
provoked the most widespread COM
ment of the many tasks set before
congress by the president.
AS to Prohibition
In his reference to prohibition, the
president did not enter extensively
into the considerations involved. De
mobilization, he said, merely, has
progressed to such point that it
seems to me entirely safe now to re.
move the ban upon the manufacture
and sale of wines and beers" This
ban, laid several months ago to be-
come effective on July 1, could only
be removed, the president said, by
congressional enactment.
His recommendation regarding re-
turn of the railways and wire linas
was the first authoritative declara-
tion by the administration of its flu.
ture policy and greatly surprised
many members who had interpreted
the developments of the past few
months to mean that Mr.. Wilson
would eventually propose some form
of permanent government operation
On the contrary, the directness or
the presidents declaration on that
point left no doubt that he was
through with any possible scheme of
permanent retention
"The telegraph and telephone
lines" said the message, "will OF
course be returned to their owners as
soon as transfer can be effected with
out administrative confusion. =
The railroads will be handed over to
their owners at the end of the calen.
dar year"
In the case of each the president
asked for legislation to make easier
the readjustments necessitated by
the change.
In hisr recommendations Cor read.
justment of taxation the president
made it clear that he did not expect
fundamental readjustment of the
democratic tariff rates that have been
operative for the past six years. He.
asked for tariff changes only to pro
tect special new interests like the
dyestuffs industry. Some reductions
were advocated in wartime excess
profits taxes and the present taxes on.
retail sales the president thought