Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-05-28
PRESIDENT SENDS
SHORT MESSAGE
FROM EUROPE
Address to Congress Is Read by
Regular Reading Clerk.
EXPLAINS HIS STAY ABROAD
Imperative Duty Makes Absence OF
Chief Executive Necessary-Suo-
ject of Labor Unrest Dealt
With ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
tions for Domestic
Legislation.

Legislation.
Washington, May 20.-For the first
time in history a message from the
president of the United States, cabled
from Europe, was read to the congress
today. II was as follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress:
deeply regret my inability to be pres
ent at the opening of the extraordf-
nary session of the congress- 1t still
seems to be my duty 10 take part In
the counsel of the peace conference
and contribute what l can to the solu'
ton of the innumerable questions to
whose settlement il has had to ad.
dress itself; for they are questions
which affect the peace of the whole
world and from them, therefore, the
United States cannot stand apart.
deemed it my duty to call the con
gress together at this time because II
was not wise to postpOpe longer the
provisions which must be made f0i
the support Of the government. Many
OF the appropriations which are abso'
lutely necessary for the maintenance
of the government and the fulfillmenl
of it's varied obligations for the fiscal
year 19l9-l020 have not yet been
made; the end of the present fisea
year is at hand and action upon these
appropriations can no longer be pru
IDENTIFY delayed. II is necessary, there
fore. that I should Immediately cal
your attention to this critical need
II is hardly necessary for me to urge
that IL may receive your prompt at
tention.
II shall take the liberty of address
ing you on my return on the subjects
which have most engrOssed our at
tention and the attention Of the world
during those anxious months, since
the nrmistice of last November was
signed, the international settlements
which must form the subject matter
of the present treaties Of peace and
of our national action In the immedi
ate future. II would be premature tc
discuss them or 10 express a judg
ment about them before they are
brought to their complete formulation
by the agreements which are now be
ing sought at the table Of the confer
ence. | shall hope 20 lay them before
YOU in their many aspects so soon AZ
arrangements have been reached.
Rights Of the Worker.
"The question which stands at tht
front OF MI others In every country
amidst the present great awakening Is
the question of labor; and perhaps
can speak of It with as great advan
tage while engrossed in the considera
ton of interests which affect all coun
tries alike ms | could at home anC
amidst the interests which natural!
most affect my thought, because the.
are the interests of our own people.
"By the question of labor l do no
mean the question of efficient indus
trial production, the question of how
labor il to be obtained and made ef
fective In the great process of sustain
ing populations and winning success
amidst commercial and industrial
rivalries. / mean that much create
and more vital question. how are tn
men and women who do the daily Ia
Dor of the world to obtain progresslv
Improvement in the conditions of thei
labor. to be made happier and 10 b
served better by the communities an
the Industries which their labor sus
tains and advances? How are they I
be given their right advantage as cit
zens and human beings?
awe cannot 20 any further in on
present direction. We have alread
gone too far. We cannot live our RICH
life as a nation or achieve our prope
success as an industrial community
capital and labor are 10 continue I
be antagonistic instead Of being par
ners. If they are 10 continue to di
trust one another and contrive ho'
they can get the better of one anothe
or what perhaps amounts to the sam
thing. calculate by what form and d,
gree of coercion they can manage I
extort on the one hand work enoug
to make enterprise profitable, on tn
other Justice and fair treatment enoug
10 make life tolerahle. That bad roa
has turned out blind alley. It is n
thoroughfare 10 real prosperity. w
must find another, leading in anothe
direction and to very different deSt
nation. II must lead not merely to az
commodation, hut also 10 genuin
cooperation and partnership base
upon a real community of interest an
participation In control.
There is now In fact a real con
munity of interest between capital an
labor but il has never been made ev
dent in action. II can be made ope
alive and manifest only ON new o
ganization of industry. The genius /,
our business men and the sound, IRA
teal sense Of our workers can cerainl
work such n partnership out wheI one
they realize exactly what II is tn,
they seek, and sincerely adopt a con
mon purpose with regard to It,
Labor legislation lies. of cours