Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-09
WILSON MESSAGE
READ TO CONGRESS
President Does Not Appear in
Person--Message Deals With
Domestic observation-disclosures
of Nations Not Mentioned

Washington. Dec. Both houses Of
Congress were in brief session to-day to
hear President Wilson's annual message.
1t was read by the clerk. Mr. Wilson hav-
Ing Needed the advice Of his physician
not to appear in person to present his
recommendation
Galleries in both Senate and House were
crowded. Both those drawn by the chance
that the President might appear In person
or by the possibility that his message
might touch upon the League of Nations
question or his own approaching retire
mcnt to private life were disappointed.
Mr.. Wilson confined himself almost
wholly to domestic questions. Only by
Inference did his message refer to the
nearing close of his administration and
that was in the concluding paragraph
The proposals he presented. the Presi-
dent wrote were not so much "A series Of
recommendations us 4 confession of the
faith in which was bred and which it is
my solemn purpose to stand by until my
last fighting day"
Aside from hearing the Presidents
message. Congress made definite
progress on at least one of the prob
lens it faces during the brief session.
The Ilouse received a rule under
which an effort will be made Thurs
day to take up the Immigration bill
for prompt action. 1t would limit gen
cral debate to four hours. The two
day interval was allowed to permit
Representative SicEel of New York,
member of tho immigration commit
tee to frame a minority report
No other matter in either House had
passed to-day beyond the committee
stage. At both ends of the Capitol.
however. members were deep in plans
60 deal with business depression, un-
employment and farmers relief. DIS
Cussions in the Senate of the plight
of farmers delayed the reading OF the
Presidents message in that body.
The Industrial situation also found
a place in the Presidents message.
Recovery from war effects gave
promise of early completion only in
our own fortunate country" Mr.. Will
son said, and even here "halts' and is
impeded at times A program of i'm
mediatcly scrviceable acts of lcRis-
lation" to aid that recovery and
prove tho indestructible. recuperative
force of a great government of the
people" should be undertaken. Mr.
Wilson said adding;
"One of these is to prove that a great
democracy can keep house successful
" and in as businesslilte fashion as any
other government
First among the recommended steps.
Mr. Wilson placed enactment of a work
able budget system lie said he had
vetoed the budget bill. passed at the last
session "reiuctantly" and because of "A
constitutional objection" but as it was
later revised in the House he believed it
would. with other measures, furnish
"founda tions for "A national budget sys-
tenn"
Mr.. Wilson cited figures as TO the ma
tional debt and urged rigid economy
in which all branches OF the government
should cooperate.
II cannot oyer-e emphasize" he said
the necessity of economy in govern
nlent appropriations and expenditures
and the avoidance by indefinite or re
volving fund appropriations"
This years estimates "strikingly" IL
Illustrated the Importance of specific
appropriations. the President added.
the transportation act having dis
turbed' the relationship between cur
rent receipts and expenditures to the
extent of over n billion dollars.
The only recommendations for other
than domestic matters was that for a
loan to Armenia to be administered
through American commissioners to
avoid further tempting opportunities"
to revolutionary tendencies in that
country and for granting Independence
to the Philippines ito keep our promise
to the people Of those Islands"
,Thc full text Of the Presidents
Message Is printed ON page nine,.