UNITED STATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1918, Page 6

UNITED STATES.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS. PEAK OP THE WAR. SOLEMNITY OF COUNTRY'S DUTY. Washington, May 27. President Wilson, in his speech to Congress, said: We are not only in the midst of the war, hut at the very peak of the crisis of the war. Hundreds of thousands of American troops are in the field, and ships are carrying more to France. The home efforts must accordingly be augmented. He announced that he expected the German drive on the Western front had begun. He emphasised how this added to the solemnity of the country's duty. Congress must remain in session until it had prepared the country for the coming burden. The Houses must lay politics aside and remain in session until they had enacted the new war tax laws, in order to finance the growing cost of the war and prepare the country for the coming great burden. The need of suppressing profiteering was now urgent, and Congress must act without fear of political consequences. The plans which involved a working agreement between both parties had fallen through, therefore congress must step into the breach. It was impossible to wait another year to determine the new taxation which was now required. In closing his address (President Wilson broke precedent by addressing the House ex tempore, announcing that the German drive had begun on the Western front, and added point to the solemnity of the duty now devolving on Congress.— Aus. N\Z. Cable Assoc.

RAILWAYMEN'S LOT IMPROVED. Washington, May 27. Mr. McAdoo has granted increased wages to railwaymen amounting to 300 million dollars annually, and has also recognised the eight-hour day.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. To meet the increased wages for railwaymen Mr. McAdoo has ordered a 25 per cent, increase in passenger fares on all railroads. This is the largest rate of increase in the history of the railroads and it is expected to increase tho annual revenues by 800,000.000 to 900,000,000 dollars. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Association. RED CROSS WEEK. New York, May 27. Red Cross Week, in which the whole nation took part, netted 112 million dollars.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.