The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-06-07
WILSON ROUNDLY
SCORES CONGRESS-
Saw No Hope Of EnactIng Eco
nOmiC Relief Measures.
MIGHT AS WELL ADJOURN
Presidents Response to Appeal That
it Be Kept in Session, Made by RAIL
road Brotherhoods.

WASHINGTON, June 7.-President Will
son, in Il telegram to officials Oh the
railroad brotherhoOdS, criticised con-
gress for failing to take actloh Win
regard 10 the high cost of living, the
conclusion of peace and important DO
nestle legislation.
The telegram was in reply to mes
sage asking the president 20 prevent
the adjournment of congress. Inc eA-
ecutive said that in the light OF the
record of the present congress L nave
no reason to hope that its continuance
in session would result in constructive
measures for the relief of the econo-
mic conditions to which you call at
tention."
ct must be evident to ALL, the preSl-
dent said, that the dominating motive
which has actuated this congress is
political expediency rather than lofty
purpose TO serve the public welfare.
The president declared that he had
accepted some of the legislation enact
ed by this congress because he de
SPARED ofeanything better"
The text of the presidents telegram
follows:
I received your telegram Of June 3.
You call my attention to matters that
l presented to the present congress IN
session of the two houses on August
s, 1919. In nine months this congress
has, however, taken no important
remedial action with respect to the
problem of the cost Of living on -he
lines indicated in that address or on
any other line. Not only has the pres
emf congress failed to deal directly
with the cos. of living, but it has fail
ed even to give serious consideration
to the urgent appeal, oft repeated oy
me and by the secretaries of the treas
ury, 20 revise the tax laws, which IN
their present form are indirectly re
directly responsible in part for the
high cost of living. The protracted
delay in dealing with the problem or
the railroads, the problem of The gov
ernment-owned merchant marine ana
other similar urgent matters has re-
suited in unnecessary burdens upon
the public treasury, and intimately IN
legislation so unsatisfactory that l
could accept it, if at all, only because
| despaired of anything better. Inc
present congress has not only prevent
but has failed to present any con-
s+ructive plan for dealing with the
deplOrable conditions there, the con-
tinuance of which can only reflect
upon US.
In the light of the record of the
present congress, l have no reason
whatever to hope that its continuance
in session would result in constructive
measures for the relief of the econo-
mic conditions to which you call at
tention. l. must be evident to all that
the dominating motive which has actu-
ated this congress is political expedi-
ency, rather than lofty purpose to
serve the public welfare.
The letter to the president from the
brotherhood chiefs said:
As the responsible heads of railroad
labor organizations, representing more
than 100000 workers, We protest
most earnestly and most emphatically
against the proposed adjournment OF
congress next Saturday, in accordance
with the plan reported in the, public
press. We call attention to the fact
that despite the revelations as to the
profiteerlng scandal congress has done
nothing 20 check the evil or to punish
the evildoers: that the cost of living
remedial measure having been passed
and that there has no. been even seri-
Gus consideration of constructive legis-
lation dealing with the serious prob
lem of industrial unrest.
In the circumstances i appears to
us incredible that the responsible lead
ers of the government at Washington
can assent to this seeming agreement
20 continuation Of a do-nothing policy
which means that the grave economic
problems of the people are to be made
the plaything Of politics and politi-
clans for the next five months. 1t in
vi.es political chaos and business dis
aster. Congress should remain in
session.