Show PRESIDENT SENDS I SHORT MESSAGE FROM EUROPE Address to Congress CongressI Is s Read by Regular Reading Clerk EXPLAINS HIS STAY ABROAD Imperative Duty Makes Absence of Chief Executive Sub Subject Necessary Necessary Sub of Labor Unrest Dealt With Exhaustively Exhaustively Suggestions I for Domestic Legislation Washington Ma May For 20 20 For the first Ume time In history a a. a message w from the president of ot the United States cabled from rom Europe was read to the congress coday today It was as follows folos s 's Gentlemen of ot the Congress I deeply regret my inability to be present present present pres pres- ent at the opening of ot the extraordinary extraordinary extraordinary nary session of or the congress It still seems to be my duty to take part In Inthe Inthe Inthe the counsel of ot the peace conference and contribute what I can to the solution solution tion of ot the Innumerable questions to whose settlement It has hus had to address address ad ud- dress Itself for the they are questions which affect the peace of the whole world and from them therefore the United States cannot stand apart I I deemed It my duty to call the congress congress congress con con- conI I gress together at ut this time because it was aS not not wise to postpone longer the provisions which must be made mode for forthe forthe forthe the support of the government Many of the appropriations which are absolutely absolutely necessary for the maintenance of oC the government and the fulfillment of its varied obligations for the fiscal year 1920 1010 0 have ve not yet et been made matle the end of oC the present fiscal year Is at hand and action upon these appropriations can no longer be prudently prudently pru pru- prudently dently delayed It is necessary therefore therefore therefore there there- fore that I should Immediately call caB your attention to this tills critical need It lt Is hardly necessary for me to urge that It ma may receive your prompt at at- v vI I ul shall take toke the liberty of ot addressing addressIng addressIng address- address Ing you on my m return on the subjects subject which have ve most engrossed our attention attention at nt- and the attention of ot the world during those anxious months since the armistice of last November was signed the international settlements which must form the subject matter of ot the tho present treaties of peace and of ot our national action n In the Immediate Immedi Immedi- ate future It would It-would be premature to discuss them or to express a judg judo judgment judgment ment meat about them th m before they the are br brought to their complete formulation b by the agreement which are now being being beIng be be- ing sought at the table of the confer confer- ence I shall hope to la lay them before you In n th f aspects so soon as arrangements have been reached JF T y t r t rIV t H. H IV 1 r Rights of the Worker The uThe question which stands at the tte I front of ot all aU others In every country amidst the present great awakening Is t i question of ot labor and perhaps I Ican Ican can speak of ot It with as great advantage un ad tage w while lle engrossed In the consideration tion of Interests which affect all nil countries countries countries coun coun- tries alike as I could at nt home and amidst the Interests which naturally most affect my thought because they are the Interests of oC our own people tI u nh or Id T ono t uy y ti un Le e goes u U mean the question of or e efficient Industrial Industrial Industrial Indus Indus- trial production the question of ot how labor Is to be obtained and made effective effective effective ef ef- ef- ef In the great process of ot sustainIng sustaining sustaining sustain sustain- ing populations and winning success amidst commercial and Indu Industrial rivalries I mean that much greater and more vital question how are the themen themen themen men and women who do the dolly dally labor la la- bor hor of ot the world to obtain progressive improvement In the conditions of their labor Jabor to be made happier and to be served better by the communities and the Industries which their labor sustains sus sus- thins and advances How now are they to tobe tobe tobe be given their right nd advantage as citizens citIzens citizens citi citI- zens and human beings We IVe cannot go any further In our present direction We have already gone too far We cannot live our right life Ufe as a nation or achieve e our proper success as an nn Industrial community If capital and labor are ore to continue to tobe tobe tobe be antagonistic Instead of oC being part part- ners If they are to continue to distrust distrust dis dis- us- us trust one another and contrive how they can get the better hetter of one another or what perhaps amounts to the same thing calculate by d hat form and degree de- de degree de de- gree ee of ot coercion they can manage to extort on the one hand ha d work enough to make enterprise profitable on the theother theother theother other Justice us e and nd fair tre treatment m t enough u to make m life lire tolerable That t bad road ro has turned out a blind d alley nIley It Is no thoroughfare to real prosperity Wo We must find another lending leading In another direction and to a very different desti desti- nation It must lead lend not merely merel- to accommodation accommodation ac ac- but also to a genuine operation co and partnership based h upon a real community of interest and participation In control There Is now In fact n a real com cony community of Interest between capital and labor but It has hns never ne been made evi vi dentIn action It can be made oper o operative and manifest only on a new or 0 organization Uon of ot Industry The genius of our business men and the sound practical I sen sense sene of our workers can cnn certainly work v such a n partnership out when once they realize exactly what It Is that t seek Reek and sincerely adopt a n comMon com com- Ion Mon purpose pur with regard to It I Labor lies of ot course chiefly with the states but the new spirit and method of or organization which must be bc effected are not to be brought by legislation so much as by bythe bythe bythe the common counsel and voluntary operation co of capitalist manager and w workman Legislation can go 10 only a avery avery avery very little way In to commanding what shall be done The organization of Industry Industry industry In In- Is a matter of ot corporate and Individual Initiative and of practical business arrangement Those who really really re re- re- re ally aUy desire a new relationship between capital and labor can readily find a awa away away wa way to bring It about and perhaps federal deral r legislation can help more than state stale legislation could I Industrial Democratization The object of oC all reform In this essential essential essential es es- es- es matter must mot be the genuine democratization of ot Industry based upon upon upon up up- on a full recognition of ot the right of or those who work In whatever rank to participate In some organic way In every decision which directly affects their welfare or lh the part they are ure to play In Industry Some positive legislation legislation legislation legis legis- lation Is practicable The congress has already shown sho the way to one reform re ra- re- re form farm which should be world-wide world by establishing the hour eight-hour day as the standard day In every field of or labor over oyer which It can exercise control It has haR sought to find the wa way to prevent child labor and will I hope and believe believe believe be be- lieve presently find it It has served the whole country by leading the way wayn In n developing the means and safeguarding life and health In dangerous Industries It can now help helpIn In the lie difficult task of ot giving a new form torm and spirit to Industrial organization tion by co the several agencies of conciliation and adjustment adjustment adjust adjust- ment meat which have been beets brought into exIstence existence ex ex- by the difficulties and mistaken policies of the present management of or I Industry and b by setting up and aud developing developing developing devel devel- new federal agencies of advice Ice and information which ma may serve as a clearing hou house e for or the best experience experience experience ence and best thought on this great matter upon which every thinking man must mast be aware that the future development development de de- de- de of society directly Agencies of or International counsel and suggestion are presently to be created In connection with the league of na na- na- na In iu this ver very field j but It Is national national national na na- na- na action and the enlightened policy policy poll pol pol- l icy y of individuals corporations and societies societies societies so so- within each nation that must bring about the actual reforms The members of oC the committee on labor Inthe inthe in inthe the two houses will hardly need su suggestions suggestions sug sug- from Crom me as to what means they shall seek to make the federal government the agent of ot the whole nation nation nation na na- na- na tion in pointing out and It If need need need-be be guiding the process of ot reorganization and reform Duty to Returning Soldiers Soldiers I 1 am sure that It Is not necessary for me to remind that there is one Immediate and very practical question of labor that we should meet in the most liberal spirit We must see to It that our returning soldiers are assisted assist assist- ed In eYer every practicable way to find the places for which they are fitted In ht the dall dally daily work of ot this countr country This can be done by developing and maintaining upon an adequate scale the admirable organization created b bythe by bythe the department of labor for placing men seeking work and It can also be bedone bedone bedone done In at least one very great field b by creating new opportunities for In IndivIdual Individual Individual In- In enterprise Time The secretary of the Interior has pointed out the wn way wayby wayby by which which which returning returning soldiers may hv he helped find anti and take up land lond In Inthe Inthe inthe the hitherto undeveloped regions of the country countr which the federal government government govern govern- government ment has bas already alread prepared or can readily prepare for cultivation and also on many of the over cut or neglected neglected neg neg- neglected areas which lie within the lim I I its of ot the older states and I once more take tale the liberty of ot recommend recommend- recommending I ing ver very urgently that his plans shall shull receive the immediate and und substantial support of ot the congress Peculiar and very stimulating conditions conditions con colt await our commerce and IndustrIal industrial Industrial In In- enterprise In the immediate future Unusual opportunities will present themselves to our merchants and producers in foreign markets and large lurge fields for profitable investment will be opened to our free capital But It Is not only of ot that that I am thinking It Is not chiefly of ot that that I am nm thinking Many great Industries prostrated b by the war watt walt to be rehabilitated rehabilitated re re- habilitated In many parts of the world where what will be lacking f Is not brains or willing hands or organizing or or- capacity or experienced skill but hut machinery and raw materials and capital I bell believe eye that our businessmen business businessmen men our merchants our manufacturers ers and our capitalists will have the vision to see that prosperity In one part of the world ministers to prosperity prosperity pros pros- everywhere e that there Is In a aver avery avery ver very true sense a solidarity of Interest Interest Interest Inter Inter- est throughout hout the world of enterprise enterprise enterprise enter enter- prise and that lint our dealings with the count countries riel that have ha need of ot our products products prod prod- products and our mone money will teach tench them to deem us more than ever friends whose necessities we seek In the right way woy to serve sere Future Commerce Our new merchant ships which have ha In lu u some quarters been feared as destructive rivals rl may prove pro helpful rivals rh rather and common servant servants cr very much needed and welcome Our great relt shipyards new and acid old will be beo beso beso so o opened to the use ue of ot the lie world that they will prove pro Immensely serviceable sen- sen serviceable to every people in restoring restoring re re- storing much more rapidly than would otherwise have hn been possible the tonnage wantonly destroyed in the war wore I 1 have hove only to suggest that there are many points at ot which we cnn can canI facilitate American enterprise enter In for I trade by opportune legislation and make snake It easy for American mer merI merchant I I chant ships where they the will be wel wel- as friends fIends rather than as os dreaded antagonists America has a great grent and honorable service to perform perform perform per per- form In bringing the commercial and Industrial undertakings of ot the world back buck to their old scope and swing again and putting a solid soUd structure of ot credit under them Our legislation should be friendly to such plans and purposes And AncI credit and enterprise alike willbe will willbe willbe be quickened by timely and ond helpful legislation with regard to taxation I hope that the congress will find It possible possible pos pos- possible sible to undertake an early carly reconsIderation reconsideration reconsideration of ot federal taxes In order to tomake tomake tomake make our system stem of or taxation more simpie simple simple sim sim- pie and easy of ot administration and the taxes themselves as little burdensome as they can be made and yet suffice to support the government and meet all Its obligations The figures to which these obligations have arisen are very great Indeed Ill but they are not so great as to make It difficult for the nation to meet them and meet them perhaps In a single generation by taxes which will neither crush nor discourage dis dis- courage They are not so great as ns they seem not so great grent as the Immense Im- Im Immense Immense Im Im- mense sums we have had to borrow I added to the Immense sums we have had to raise by taxation would seem to Indicate for a n very large proportion proportion tion of oC these sums were raised in order that they might be loaned to the governments governments governments' governments gov gov- with which we were associated associated associated In do the war and those loans will of ot course constitute assets not Dot liabilities liabilities and w will ll not have to be taken tulen care are of by our tax taxpayers Equitable Taxation The uThe main thing we shall have haye to care for is that our taxation shall rest as lightly as possible on the productive resources of the country that Its rates shall be stable and that It shall be constant In Its yielding revenue power pow pow- er We Ve have found the main sources from which It must be drawn I take It for granted that its mainstays will henceforth be the income tax the excess excess excess ex ex- cess profits tax and the estate tax All these can be so adjusted to yield const constant con con- st stant nt and ond adequate returns and yet not constitute a too grievous burden on the taxpayer A revision of the Income Income income In In- come tax tox has already been provided pro for forby forby forby by the act of 1915 1018 but I think you OU will find that further changes can be made To lo advantage both In the the rates of the tax and in the method of Its collection The excess profits tax need not long be maintained at the rates which were necessary while the enormous expense of the war had to he be borne but It should be made the basis of ot a permanent |