Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-05
Wires Railroad Brotherhoods
He Sees No Hope in
Longer Session.
ACCEPTED LEGISLATION
IN DESPAIR, HE SAYS
Declares Political Expediency,
Rather Than Lofty Purpose"
Has Dominated.

President Wilson, in a telegram to-
day to officials Of the railroad broth
erhoods. criticised Congress for fail
ing to take action with regard to the
high cost of living. the conclusion of
peace and important domestic legis-
lation.
The telegram was in reply to a let
ter asking the President to prevent
the adjournment of Congress today.
The executive said that in the light
of the record of the present Congress
Il have no reason whatever to hope
that it's continuance in session would
result in constructive measures for
the relief of the economic conditions
to which you call attention.
Accepted Some I'm Despair.
The President declared that he had
accepted some of the legislation
enacted by this Congress because he
"despaired of anything better"
1T must be evident to ALL" the
President said. that the dominating
motive which has actuated this Con-
than lofty purpose to serve the public
welfare"
The text of the Presidents telegram
follows:
Il received your telegram Of June
3. You call my attention to mat
ters that l presented to the pres
ent Congress in a special message
delivered at a joint session OF the
two houses on August 8, 1919. In
nine months this Congress has,
however, taken no important RENEE
dial action with respect to the
problem of the cost OF living on
the lines indicated in that address
or on any other line. Not only has
the present Congress failed to deal
directly with the cost Of living. but
it has failed even to give serious
consideration to the urgent ap-
peal, oft repeated by me and by
the Secretaries of the Treasury, to
revise the tax laws. which. in :
their present form are indirectly
responsible in part for the high
cost Of living. The protracted de-
lay in dealing with the problem of
| the railroads, the problem Of the /.
government-owned merchant ma
| rine, and other similar urgent mat
| ters has resulted in Unnecessary
| burdens upon the public Treasury.
and ultimately in legislation 80 un-
satisfactory that / could accept it,
| if at all. only because l despaired
of anything.
"The present Congress has not
only prevented the conclusion of
peace in Europe, but has failed to
present any constructive plan for
dealing with the deplorable con-
ditions there, the continuance 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 it's con-
tinuance in session would result in
constructive measures for the relief
of the economic conditions to which
evident to all that the dominating
motive which has actuated this
Congress is political expediency
rather than lofty purpose to serve
the public welfare"
Protest Of DrotherhoOds.
The letter to the President from the
brotherhood chiefs said:
LAS the responsible heads of rail-
rOnd labor organizations. represent
ing more than two million workers.
we protest most earnestly and most
emphatically against the proposed
adjournment of Congress next Satur-
day. in accordance with the plan re-
ported in the public press. We call
attention to the fact that despite the
revelations as to the profteering
scandal, Congress has done nothing
to check the evil or to punish the
evildoers; that the cost of living con-
tinues to advance without a single
remedial measure having been passed,
and that there has not been even
serious consideration of constructive
legislation dealing with the serious
problem of industrial unrest
Invites Political Chaos.
I'm the circumstances it appears TO
us incredible that the responsible lead
ers Of the government at Washington
can assent to this seeming agreement
to 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 politicians
for the next five months. 1t invites
political chaos and business disaster.
Congress should remain in session