The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-05-21
WILSON MESSAGE
URGES IMPORTANT
WORK
QUESTION OF LABOR FOREMOST
IN PRESIDENTS MIND FOR
IMMEDIATE ACTION
ASKS LAND FOR SOLDIERS
Nations Executive for First Time in
History Cables His Speech to Com
srrse from. Foreign Country; Rec
ummrndS Repeal of Wartime PrOhi.
bitiom rs 10 Lighter Drinks.

ullHthuN NtpcAi ol Nhr'Iiiht IIoii'
bitiOn as 10 Lighter Drinks.
Washington, May 2O.-President WI
son, In his message To congress today.
recommended repeal of the wartime
prohibition law-so far as 1t applies to
wine ana beer only; announced definite
Is that the railroad systems and tele-
graph and telephone lines would be re
turned to private ownership, urged u
revision of war taxes, particularly TO
abolish the manufacturers and retail
sales eNciscs; and outlined generally a
program respecting labor.
These were the high spots" of tho
Presidents message, cablcd from Paris.
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
backed Secretary Lanes program for
land for returning soldiers.
OF the Paris peace conference and the
League OF Nations, the president merely
said it would he premature to discuss
them or express a judgment. He also
avoided discussion of domestic legisla-
ton at length, because of his long abb
sence from Washington.
Congress heard u unique document;
the only one of its kind ever transmit.
ted across the ocean from a president
on foreign shore. For the first time
in six years it heard Il presidential mes
sage read by reading clerk instead of
assembling to hear the president de-
liver an address in person.
The recommendations for the repeal
OF war time prohibition and for return
of the rail and wire systems, while not
unexpected by some. contained the
greatest element of surprise and pro
volied the most widespread comment of
the many tasks set before congress by
the president
In his reference to prohibition, the
president did not enter extensively into
tho considerations involved. Demob-
lization, he said, merely, has progressed
to such a point that it seems to me en-
tirelY safe now to remove the ban upon
the manufacture and sale of wines and
beers" This ban. laid several months
ago, to become effective on July !,
could only be removed, the president
said, by congressional action.
Ask Rail and Wire Return.
His recommendation regarding the
return of the railroads and wire lines
was the first authoritative admission by
the administration of its future policy
and greatly surprised many members
of the last few months to mean that Mr.
who had interpreted the developments
Wilson eventually would propose some
form of permanent government opera
ton. on the contrary, the directness
of the presidents declaration on that
point left no doubt that he was through
with any possible scheme of perma-
ncnt retention
The telegraph and the telephone
lines" said the message. will OF
course be returned to their owners as
soon as the transfer can be effected
without administration confusion. The
railroads 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 neces-
sary the establishments made neces-
sary by the change
In his recommendation for re-adjust-
ment of taxation the president made
3. l,, al
damental readjustmont Of the demo-
cratic tariff rates that have been oper-
ativc the last six years. He asked for
tariff changes only to protect special
new interests like the dyestutfs indus
try. Some reductions We're advocated
in war time excess profits taxes and
the present taxes on retail sales the
president thought could be dispensed
with entirely.
What will be the reply of the repub-
lican congress to these proposals be-
came at once the topic Of discussion
everywhere about the capitol. In re
turning the railroads it generally was
conceded. the republican leaders will
readily give the president their CO.
operation. But as to prohibition and
case was more doubtful.
There are problems on which no very
clear sentiment apparently has been
formed in either OF the great parties.
The recommendation regarding labor
were general but the president called
attention to the need for a partnership
between capital and labor and gen
uine characterization OF industry" On
tariff revision the president said the
United States should have the means
of properly protecting itself when there
was danger Of discrimination against
it by foreign nations
Though we are as far as possible
from desiring to enter upon a course
of retaliation" he said. I'VE must
frankly face the fact that hostile leg
islation by other nations is not beyond
the range of possibilities and that il
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