It has been found that late closings of the mail can be accomplished and closer connections assured by this means.

I am taking the liberty of returning H.R. 7237, making appropriations for the service of the Post Office Department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1919, and for other purposes, without my signature.

I am convinced there is no moral or legal obligation resting on the, Government to continue the use of these tubes by rental.

The only question is, When shall we supply it—now or later, after the demands shall have become reproaches that we were so dull and so slow?

We must act now, at whatever sacrifice to ourselves.

We are about to set them free; we must not leave them without the tools of action when they are free.

I hereby establish the War Industries Board as a separate administrative agency to act for me and under my direction.

The functions, duties and powers of the War Industries Board, as outlined in my letter of March 4, 1918, to Bernard M. Baruch, Esquire, its Chairman, shall be and hereby are continued in full force and effect.

The world never stood in such case before.

We need not be afraid to tax them, if we lay taxes justly.

I cannot assure the country of a successful Administration of the Treasury in 1918 if the question of further taxation is to be left undecided until 1919.

Additional revenues must manifestly be provided for.

Politics is adjourned.

Our financial program must no more be left in doubt or suffered to lag than our ordnance program or our ship program or our munitions program, or our program for making millions of men ready.

We have either done our duty or we have not.

I do hereby proclaim Thursday, the thirtieth day of May, a day already freighted with sacred and stimulating memories, a day of public humiliation, prayer and fasting

to pray Almighty God that He may forgive our sins and shortcomings as a people and purify our hearts to see and love the truth

I beseech Him that He will give victory to our armies as they fight for freedom, wisdom to those who take counsel on our behalf in these days of dark struggle and perplexity