New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-08
President Would Have
Congress Committee In
vestigate Themselves.
TWO SAY THEY SEE
NO NEED OF INQUIRY
President Evades Ques-
ton as to Allowing Off
GERS Testimony.
[From The Tribune Bureau. J

Washington, Dec. Tt may be easy
enough to chloroform my resolution
end it may not be difficult to chloro-
form me, but all the anssthetics in the
world can never lull to sleep the de-
mand of an alarmed public sentiment
that the truth must be revealed"
This was the answer tonight of Rep
resentativc Gardner, of Massachusetts,
following a White House conference at
which the President made known his
opposition to the Gardner resolution
for a sweeping investigation of the
preparedness of this nation for war
fare.
The President indicated his opposi-
ton to the resolution in an official
White House statement, taking the
view that such an inquiry at this time
might create every unfavorable inter
national impressions"
In his subsequent statement Repre-
sentative Gardner, by implication,
voiced his disappointment that the
President did not answer his two lead
ing questions, viz, Whether the Presi-
dent desires to smother the resolution
IN the Rules Committee of the House
and whether he would permit army and
navy officers to testify in the event Of
an inquiry.
The brief statement showing the
Presidents opposition was given out
by Secretary Tumulty as follows:
"The President told Representative
Gardner that he was opposed to the
method of inquiry proposed by Mr..
Gardner, because he thought it was an
unwise way of handling a question
which might create very unfavorable
international impressions. He stated TO
Mr.. Gardner that he was entirely in
favor of the fullest inquiry by the COM
mittees Of Congress and that there
were no facts in the possession Of the
executive departments which were not
al the disposai Of these committees"
Representative Gardner's reply was:
"The President. think, has over
looked the fact that my resolution calls
for a report as we'll as an investiga-
tion. Four different, independent COM
mittees, composed Of about fifty mem
bers Of Congress, are charged with the
duty of laying down our military pol
;cv in n haphazard, unrelated sort of
uav How can four Independent COM
mittees adequately investigate them
.elves and make an intelligent re-
ain effect. the President suggests
that Mr.. Hay, chairman of the Military
Affairs Committee, shall investigate
and report on Mr.. Hays work; that
NJ, Sherley, chairman Of the sub-com-
nittee on Notifications, shall inspect
Mr.. Sherley's work; that Mr.. Padgett,
chairman of the Committee on Naval
Affairs. shall give the u. n to his
committees accomplishments, and that
Mr.. Fitzgerald, chairman OF the com
mittee handling the sundry civil bill,
shall pass on the fortihcatlons which
he has provided for the Panama Canal.
"Rut Mr.. Hay and Mr.. Sherley have
both a .nounced already that they have
insnected their own work and found it
excellent, and Mr.. Fitzgerald, accord
inc 10 the press, sees no need OF an in
vestigation.
"What the public wants to know is
not what Chairman Hay, Chairman
Sherley, Chairman Padgett and Chair
man FITZGERALD think of their own and
their predecessors' work, but what
somebody else thinks of II. doubt
whether ex-Secretaries Dickinson,
Never. Bonaparte and Stimson will
care 10 come TO Washington to be har-
ried piecemeal by four different COM
mittees. all Of whom are practically
themselves under fire:
~ notice that the President in the
White House statement does not an
swer my question as to the propriety
of smothering my resolution in the
Committee on Rules without a square
Yea and nay vote, nor does he answer
INV question as TO officers testimony
before the Committee on Rules.
at remains 10 be seen whether the
Democratic members of the Committee
on Rules will adopt the Presidents
view"
Members of the Rules Committee of
the House, according to an announce
ment to-day by Chairman Henry, will
decide tomorrow whether prelim-
mary hearing is TO be had on the Gard
ner resolution. In view Of the White
House attitude, il is now recognized
that il will be difficult TO get action
from the Rules Committee, and about
the best Mr.. Gardner can expect is the
opportunity OF making a vain plea be-
fore the committee for a real inquiry
into conditions in the army and navy.