Evening star., 1915-01-05
Senate Query of Wilson's Re.
cess Appointments Causes
Wide Discussion.
COMMITTEE CAN ONLY
REPORT ITS FINDINGS
House Could Be Asked to Begin I'm
peachment Proceedings, But
That Is Improbable.

The latest phase OF the patronage
row between the President and MEM
bers of the Senate, the appointment OF
a committee to inquire into the right OF
the President to make recess appoint
ments to offices which became vacant
while the Senate was in session. but
which the President failed to fill un-
til the Senate adjourned, was widely
discussed at the Capitol today.
The committee which is to make the
inquiry is a subcommittee of the 1u-
dietary committee, and Senator Culber-
son. its chairman, said today that a
meeting probably would be called some
day this week He said that it would
probably be several weeks before the
subcommittee would complete the in
quiry.
snould the subcommittee determine
that President Wilson had exceeded his
of conjecture today. The subcommittee
will submit it's report first to the fuil
committee, and, If the full committee so
orders, the report Will then De lalo
before the Senate.
Beyond the acceptance of the report
and it's transmission to the President
the Senate could hardly go.
The House might be asked to begin
impeachment proceedings against the
President should it be deemed advisable,
but such an outcome is not regarded as
in the least prObaDle.
Members of the Senate, however, are
determined that the rights of the Sem
ate in the matter of appointments shall
be upheld.
Inquiry Is Ordered.
Following a long statement yester-
day afternoon by Senator Reed of Mis-
souri, opposing the nomination of
Ewing C. Bland to be United States
marshal for the western district OF
Missouri, the judiciary committee or
dered an inquiry into the authority of
the President to make recess appoint
ments to fill vacancies created during
a session of Congress. a committee
was appointed to make the inquiry,
consisting of Senators Culberson, Reed,
Walsh, Brandegee and Borah.
The judiciary committee voted to re-
ject the nomination of Bland, who was
given a recess appointment to the mar
shalship, " hich was vacant before Con-
sress adjourned last october. The Sen
ate unqueslionabIy will support the ac-
tion of the committee and reject
Bland's nomination. Bland was ap-
pointed seventeen months after the
term of his predecessor expired apd
four days before the present session of
Congress began. His nomination was
sent to the Senate soon after that body
convened. and Senator Reed has been
hghtlng 1t ever since.
Acts Are Questioned.
The decision of the judiciary commit
tee to appoint a committee Of inquiry
has carried the differences between the
President and some of the members of
the Senate over appointments beyond
the limits of a row over patronage and
brought into question the legality of the
acts of the President.
Soon after the meeting of the judiciary
committee the Senate, in executive ses-
sion, unanimously rejected the nomina-
tion of Mrs. Marjorie ]. Bloom to be
postmaster at Devils Lake, N. D. Three
months ago the Senate refused to con-
Congress adjourned the President made
a recess appointment. Last month he
again sent in Mrs. Blooms nomination.
He had nominated her in the first place
after the appointment of her husband to
the office had been rejected by the SEN
ate following an investigation of
charges.
Has Another Difficulty.
The President is having difficulty in
getting a favorable report from the
Senate interstate commerce committee
on the nomination of Henry Clay Hall
of Colorado to succeed himself as a
member of the commission. Some of
the progressive republican members of
the committee, who looked with dis
favor upon the recent decision of the
commission authorizing the increase of
freight rates by the eastern roads. want
to know why Mr.. Hall shifted his posi-
ton in that decision from his former
position refusing such increases. The
committee put off for another week ac-
ton upon this nomination.