Show Politics Had Little Littleto to Do o With President Wilsons Wilson's Recent Trip By Dy D David Lawrence President WIlsons WIlson's s transcontinental en- en tal trip was as unique in this his r respect Politicians had little to do with sith it and as a a. consequence the reception committees which managed the visit of the president to their respective cities were composed of representative tive citizens usually business menSo men So those of us traveling with the president an opportunity to get geta a fair view of public sentiment b bj by taking these men as I did and discussing discussing dis dis- cussing cussins with them the outlook I Ithe in inthe inthe the different communities It may be the throes of reconstruction reconstruction e- e tion it ma may be the uncertainty over the establishment of peace of Europe Europe Europe Eu Eu- rope it may be outcropping of strikes and industrial disturbances In our own country and the agitation tion for higher wages along with the therise therise therise rise In the cost of ot living or it may maybe maybe maybe be all an these factors combined which makes a businessman furrow his brow think hard for tor a minute and frankly say I dont don't know There never seemed to me to be besuch besuch besuch such an utter absence of ot conviction about what the future holds in store Usually in political campaigns or when some essential piece of ot legIslation legislation legislation legisla legIsla- tion is before the country as the matter of a new ne tariff or the reform of our banking system the business businessmen men talk with a sense of ot definiteness and clarity about what the buying and selling public may expect But so far as I could discover the undercurrent undercurrent undercurrent under under- current o of doubt was more pron pronounced pronounced pro pro- n than it was even during the war Fortunately the matter of or taxation taxation taxation taxa taxa- tion has been disposed of for the forthcoming year and one item of worry has been subtracted though I encountered a good deal of disappointment disappointment over the reports from Washington such as were recently sponsored by Senator Penrose that It would be Impossible to reduce taxes immediately but that perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps there might be an opportunity to do so 50 after atter the Republicans had won the next presidential election I and controlled all branches of ot the government Mr penrose's argument argument argument ment is that the Republican maJority majority ma ma- in the senate is too slender to attempt tariff or taxation revision n until 1920 That Is really only another way of I saying that It might have been bet bet- ter for the Republicans if they had hadnot hadnot I Inot not won the senate at all in the last election unless they could have won wona a substantial majority of votes for forat forat forat at present skeptics are ara going to hoid hOHl the Republican majority strictly accountable accountable ac ac- ac- ac countable for what is done In bo th bh h houses of ot congress and anif It is to 10 tobe tobe be the difficult task of the Republican can managers to convince the business busi hu ness men of the country that r re really lir they could not do anything in the present senate and that that campan campain contributions must come for the 1920 campaign if it they are to get to-get get the iho remedies held out to to- them to-them them l by y Republican h- h lican Hcan orators last autumn Business men talked entirely irl about the league of or nations an ai 1 looking at it as a business proposition tion practically all all' of th those se who have had an any trade in foreign nar- nar viewed the league as the IK h tur turning r. r ning of ot a commercial expansion thu American had long needed The They have for many years many years b been en clamorIng clamoring clamor clamor- ing big for a merchant marine and a H Jor- Jor eign policy that would expand loreign for for- eign trade and if the league of nations nations nations na na- na- na is to be the vehicles hoy are I ready to accept the league fir r r tint that I purpose I In other words with the at extension n ion of American enterprises enterprises' during the war into fields hitherto untouched and with an expansion of facilities for a quantity production hitherto unrealized the desire to get the world unrealized the desire to get gel the world markets is very very fery keen I noticed that whenever President Wilson VIlson mentioned the league and its relationship to foreign markets and credit businessmen seemed to to applaud applaud applaud ap ap- ap- ap plaud enthusiastically But It was difficult to get a lineon line lineon lineon on whether businessmen generally thought the fall and winter months were going to be hard on America or whether the storm season In the economics of or reconstruction would come later on Usually an Inquirer in inquirer inquirer In- In found himself asked a a. questIon question quest- quest Ion lon What do you think will be the labor situation six months hence hence Tell us that and we will make predictions pre pre- dictions Out on the Pacific coast a labor situation somewhat different than Inthe in inthe inthe the east cast exists The I Y I. W VT W Ws W.'s s 's are arc not the only extremists Foreigners with an idea that the plight of ot Rue Hus- Continued on Page 3 |