The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-12-12


Is National Scandal Helpful Part
In international Relations.
WASHINGTON, D. C.-In Wig
orous message, hitting straight from
the shoulder on a number OF great do
mestic issues, President Harding went
before joint session of congress Fri
day afternoon with the most far
reaching program the administration
I has yet offered for dealing with the
railroad situation, agricultural relief
and prohibition enforcement.
The greater part of the presidents
long message dealt with this trio of
national troubles, and chief among his
recommendation were the following:
He suggested the ACCESSIBILITY of
abolishing the railway labor board as
at present constituted and the trans
fer of its functions to the interstate
commerce commission through the adj
dition of four new members who would
constitute a labor division"
He dismissed the idea of govern
ment operation as already having fail
ed, and as impracticable.
For Living Wage.
He suggested and indorsed the theo-
ry that railroad strikes should be pro-
hibited by law.
He indorsed the living wage for
railway workers.
He characterized the present prohi-
| 1 - lie
scandal and the most demoralizing
! factor of our national life" He an
nounced his intention of summoning
| to Washington at an early date con-
! ference of the governors of all the
states for a discussion of the whole
enforcement problem, in the hope that
out of closer cooperation between
state and federal officers may come
stricter observance of the law,
He warned those who evade the
prohibition law they are undermining
the moral fiber of the republic. He ex-
pressed the belief that the eighteenth
amendment is in the constitution to
| stay.
He indorsed the statutory enforce
ment laws (the Volstead law), but
recognized the possibility of modih-
cation. Strict enforcement will reveal,
he said, whether deliberated public
opinion wants modification.
Agricultural Relief.
He urgently recommended the need
of greater credit facilities for the farm
er, extended through the nations
great financial system.
He declared the farmers should have
! lower freight rates for moving their
crops to market and that also new
channels to markets must be opened
up through improved waterways and
| highways.
The president recommended two
new constitutional amendments. ID
| A child labor amendment, and ~ an
amendment prohibiting the issuance of
tax-free securities, which has resulted
in the tying up of $4,000, O0O0 900 on
which the government is getting no
taxes.
Consolidation OF facilities was sug-
gested as a way to economy and Ell
ficiency.
President Harding also recommend
ed the pooling OF freight cars and the
adjustment of an agency to finance
railroads in buying equipment.
I'm a previous message to the con-
gress," he continued 81 called to your
attention the insuffciency of power to
enforce the decisions of the railroad la
Dor board. Carriers have ignored its
decisions on the one hand, railroad
workmen have challenged its decisions
by a strike on the other hand"
Foreign Relations.
The president dealt only perfume
torily with foreign relations. He de-
clared the nation was threatened with
no wars and he defended vigorously
the part America has played in the in
ternational conference abroad.
America is willing, he said, to help
other countries with their chaotic cur
rency and commercial conditions, but
not at the expense of dragging Ameri-
ca down to their level.
Contrary to expectations held III
some quarters the president made no
recommendation for letting down the
immigration bars to allow an influx
OF common labor"
Before charging the immigration
question" the president said, 1T would
be better to register and educate those
aliens already in the United States.
In this connection the president de-
Clared the udtlOH mas not YET SSSdPSu
the Red" menace that became preva-
lent during and after the war.
Abusing the hospitality of our
shores" he said, are the advocates of
revolution, finding their deluded fol
lowers among those who take on the
habiliments of an American without
knowing the American soul. There is
a recrudescense of hyphenated Amer
icanism"
Frank on Dry Law.
While the president dealt with va
riety of subjects in this his annual
report on the state of the nation, ,
it was to the pressing problems of
agricultural relief, transportation bet.
terment and stricter enforcement OF
the prohibition law that he dealt with