New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-04
'AMERICANIsM VS.. COWARDICE
The Powers of the President and
Of Congress Considered.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: In your leading editorial OF to-day,
"Americanism VS.. Cowardice,' you quote
THE World" as saying; 81. Here again
the power Of Congress is beyond controversy
! II may direct the President TO suspend dlpio-
matte relations The probability that such
action would be preliminary to war makes
Congress the only branch Of government
which may properly assume tho responsible
ity for so momentous q STEP"
For yourself you say, THE Tribune be-
lieves The World is absolutely right IN It's
views as expressed above" Now, the con-
trary is the fact 1.-THE World" is absolutely
wrong in its views as expressed above. Con-
gress has not and has never had such powerj
and no attempt by Congress to exercise such
power has ever been carried to the point
Of adoption by joint action Of the two Houses
of Congress. The conduct Of the foreign
affairs of the United States Is assigned By
the Constitution to the President. The max
ing of treaties and the appointment OF OFF,
GERS in the foreign service Of the govern
ment are conditional upon the advice and
consent" Of the Senate alone.
No other act or function OF the Executive
In the conduct of foreign affairs Is shared
even BIZ the Senate, and Congress has never
participated, as the legislative branch OF the
government. In any degree In that executive
function. The abnormal Commercial agree
ments" (so-cslled) Of the Mckinley admin
istration constituted a separate question TN
volving the revenue powers of Congress) and
thew were In no sense a departure from the
constitutional function Of the Executive
touching the control Of foreign affairs. (See
the Constitution, Article ii, Section z;
Moore's international Law Digest, Vol VII,
D. 1903; Senate Document No. SO, Bath Con-
gress, second SESSION. Whether or not the
Wilson administration Is prepared TO surren-
der the executive right to a subservient ma
iority In Congress as a makeshift Is another
question. for the answer to which we must
watch and walt"
Questions Of foreign affairs are and have
always been non-partisan. The present hu-
initiating and scandalous position OF the
President and his galaxy Of advisers toward
Germany cannot be relieved by the participa-
ton Of Democratic caucus. Throughout the
country, where any opinion at all exists on
the subject, the cancerous policy OF coUardlce
is supported, or condemned and abhorred, oy
individuals without reference to party afhlia'
tions. To make that policy party issue
would probably be to dissipate present apathy
and to awaken the people Of the country to
an adequate realization Of the consequences
of the abandonment Of common courage and
common decency.
Congress may, however, advise the Presi-
dent, or request the President even, In proper
terms, to sever diplomatic relations with
Germany, in spite Of the German Ambassa-
doris threat-reported in the newspaper
that war would follow his departure under
such condition. Congress may with entire
propriety express its views on the situation
by a concurrent resolution, or by separate
resolution Of each House. with the object OF
influencing the Executive. Unless it does
something Of the sort it seems fairly clear
that Count Won Bernstorf and his attaches
will remain in the country, to its continued
shame and discontinue
The present scheme is to veil depravity
and an abject attitude by the high-sounding
phrases of a middle~of-theroad neutrality
as though the quiet acceptance Of contempt
and insult were essential to the maintenance
of rigid impartiality as between Germany
and Austria on the one hand and their enc
mics on the other. ANDREW II. ALLEN.
Washington, Dec. 2, 1915.