New-York tribune., 1914-12-02
Representative Believes
President FavorS Side
tracking Measure.
DENIES PROBE CAN
BE CALLED WARLIKE
Chairman of Rules Committee,
However, Likely to Thwart
Administrations Aim.
From The Tribune Bureau. ]

Washington, Dec. NO public in
vcstigation Of the preparedness Of this
country for war will be held by either
Tie Senate or the House if the Demo-
cratic leaders can prevent it. Signs
were not lacking that this plan would
have the backing of President Wilson,
for it is understood he not alone is
opposed to any such action at this
time, but will support the Democratic
leaders in their efforts to sldetrack 1t.
This means that the resolution intro
duced by Representative Augustus Z.
Gardner, Of Massachusetts, providing
for an investigation of the prepared
ness of this country, Will get little
shcw in the House.
These indications were disclosed az
ter visit to the White House to-day
of Mr.. Gardner, who declared, without
seeing the President. that he was
afraid that the President meant to lay
"the cold hand of death" On the move
ment. Mr.. Gardner called at the
White House in response to letter
from the President in which the Pres
ident said he would like very much to
have a conference with the Represen-
tative on his resolution, adding that
"you may be sure ! do not have an
attitude of indifference toward the
subject which you broach."
81 am very much afraid" runs Mr..
Gardner's statement, that the Presi-
dent means to lay the cold hand Of
death on the whole movement, if he
can. am little surprised that the
President believes that the mere fact Of
our giving the question of our arma-
ment a thorough airing might dis
qualify us as the referee whenever this
war is over. IL seems TO me that build
ing brace of superdreadnoughts
sounds even more wa-like than an in
vestigation.
"As to the Presidents objection to
Congress adopting my resolution OF in
quiry because | denounced German mill
tarism as menace TO democracy, fort
unately that can be easily arranged in
the usual way. Chairman Henry can
introduce his own resolution and the
commission can be composed exclusive
ly of men who have not revealed their
preferences as between Germany and
the Allies.
az have asked the Presidents per-
mission to bring few gentlemen with
me when he receives me. We shall
ask him (D to reconsider his opposi-
ton, % TO encourage square yea and
nay vote in Congress on this PROPOSE
tion. and 90 to permit certain army
and navy officers, without hampering
instructions, to accept my invitation
to testify before the Committee on
Rules.
"The trouble with Secretary Garri-
sons plan of requiring summons
from the Rules Committee is that
that is probably the very last thing
that the committee would do, il the
President puts his foot down"
The Presidents letter to Mr.. Gard
ner was dictated while Mr.. Wilson
was at Williamstown on a visit to his
daughter. 1t was as follows:
"My dear Mr.. Gardner: have your
letter of November %, for which
thank you. You may be sure that
do not have an attitude of indifference
to the great subject you broach, but
| should like very much to have con-
ference with you before the resolution
you have in mind is offered in order
to present my views more fully than
is possible in a letter"
While it is believed that the admin
istration forces will be marshalled to
prevent any action on the Gardner
resolution there were predictions to-
is chairman of the Rules Committee,
which has the resolution. might report
it to the House so that the eager Rep
resentatives may turn loose a flood Of
oratory on it for home consumption.
Representative Henry was an insur-
gent Democrat at the recent session
of Congress, where he kicked over the
traces and fought for legislation
which he believed was necessary for
the protection of the cotton growers
of the South. His measures got no
support from the White House. AS a
matter of fact he "got in bad" by his
insistency for the legislation he want
ed. 1t is now his turn to even up
things, it was pointed out to-day, by
reporting the Gardner resolution and
flinging the whole question Of pre-
paredness into the House.