Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-03-03
MR.. wilson TO MIR. POT.

The intent OF the Presidents letter
to Acting Chairman Pou of the
House Committee on Rules is quite
as clear as was that of his recent let
ter to Chairman Stone Of the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations,
says Bernard II. Ridder in his latest
article on the War from Day to
Day"
Thcy are both misleading docu-
mcnts inserted Informally into our
domestic political situation for the
apparent purpose of furthering the
political ambition of Mr., Wilson, and
designed TO convey false impress
sion lin foreign capitals"
The President is obviously at
tempting to lay trap for the Con-
gress Says MI Wilson; II there
fore feel justified in asking that
your committee will permit me to
urge an early vote upon the resolu-
tions with regard to travel on armed
merchantmen, which have recently
been so much talked about, in order
that there may be afforded an inn
mediate opportunity for full public
discussion and action upon them and
that all doubts and conjectures may
be swept away and our foreign re-
lations once more cleared OF damag-
ing Misunderstanding
Tho only welcome feature OF the
Presidents letter to Mr.. Pou is that
which reveals the recognition by Mr.,
Wilson that thorc is such q parlia-
mentary body in existence as tho
Congress OF the United States OF
America. The letter which he adj
dressed to Senator Stone left the
people of the country quite in the
air as to this point
What action the Congress win
take in connection with Mr. Wilson
informal communication to Mr. Pou
is, OF course, pronlematical There
arc but two logical courses open to
the Congress, however, and they arc
these. The Congress can abdicate
its Constitutional right to preserve
the peace of this country; or IL can
insist upon that right being rec
ognizcd by the Executive
II was perhaps clever political
stroke on the part Of Mr.. Wilson to
ask. as the English say, for "a vote
Of confidence" We have passed the
time, however, whom domestic pol
ternational relations The world az
largo is war mad-the flames arc
licking our very shores and yet VIC
find our President inviting those
flames nearer and nearer that am
other four years may bis his in the
White House.
The Congress has the opportunity
now to show itself in the colors
which it prefers to wear/ Il can
mass vote of confidence in the
President as regards his past per-
formances in the realm Of interna-
tional relations, without giving him
q free hand for future folly. 1t can.
on the othcr hand, leave him free to
do what he likes for all time. alb
dicatng thereby its Constitutional
right to guard the interests Of the
country and this is exactly what
the President is attempting to force
it to do
Wore the Congress to follow the
Presidents desire and return an un-
qualified vote OF confidence in his
most unqualifedly absurd conduct
of our foreign affairs, what assur-
ance would we have that in his essay
to outdo Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. Wilson
would not have us in war the day
after such a resolution passed the
Congress?
The senior and representative
body in the American Government
cannot afford to surrender into the
hands Of a single political aspirant
powers which involve the interests
OF the country as a whole and which
viii be manipulated. Judging from
past experiences, solely for the adj
vancement OF his political aspira-
tions What the Congress should do
is TO pass q vote of pardon for past
derelictions, and retain its indubit-
able right to oversee any conduct Of
the Executive pointing to q breech
in our relations with any other
friendly nation.
The President asks only for a vote
upon the resolutions with regard
to travel on armed merchantmen, F"
but what the President seeks is carte
blanche to manipulate the interna-
tional situation to suit the immediate
needs Of the domestic political crisis
That power, were the Congress in
| clined to give 1t, could not be placed
in the hands of the President with
out abrogating the most vital prin-
ciples of the Constitution OF the
United States
We have had but few Presidents
in whose hands the making Of war
or the preservation Of peace could
be safely entrusted, and Woodrow