The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-25
The Rebellion Against wilson.

The Rebellion Against wilson.
The unexpected and alarming rebel.
lion Of the Democratic Congressman
against the foreign policy Of Presi.
dent WILSON resulted from several
causes. There are members who hon.
estiy disagree with tho theories that
govern his negotiations with the Gen.
trail Empires; there are members who
calculate the effect Of their opposi-
tion ON their constituencies; there
are members who r Influenced BY
resentment springing from incidents
in no way related to u diplomatic
proceedings; and all the members
ehafe under tho realization that they,
the immediate representatives Of the
people. have no part In the manage
ment Of affairs that vitality concern
them and those who sent them to
Congress. Among the members Of
the majority the failure Of President
WILSON'S leadership, the lack Of con.
ndence In him generally. has been
conspicuous for months, and tho In.
subordination that has come from II
has been manifested against every leg
islative proposal he has made.
Under system Of government.
With the Executive free from respon-
sibility to the Legislative Department
IN the management Of foreign affairs
except in the contingency Of overt mis-
deeds for which Impeachment proceed
inss may be brought, Senators and
Representatives are powerless except
40 far as their partisan and personal
Influence may extend. At present
these factors are negligible at the
White House. and the irrimtion IN
Congress that has been increasing for
months necessarily found an outlet.
That outlet was unfortunate and dam
gsfous: the consequences Of what has
already happened may be serious; but
It was inevitable under the cicum.
stances. and a repetition Of the incl.
dent is not beyond probability.
Were the United States governed
~ q Ministry whose members were
obliged to explain their purposes,
make clear their acts and defend
their conduct to the law makers, such
a. outbreak rs has happened this
week would be portentous. It would
mean that after a long period Of ex.
PLANTATION and defence the representa-
tives Of the people had found the
course Of their Executive intolerable.
1t would foreshadow the fall Of the
Government. But with us all the mis-
givings. all the r~esentfulness. that
would have been dissipated In months
Of questionings and pin prichings were
expressed in one day, and the impor-
lance Of their expression was accentu-
ated by the u%ndercurrent of apprehen-
don which the dispatches so clearly
reveal.
The Congress does not want war; II
believes, unquestionably correctly, that
the nation does not want var 1t is
excluded from the Executives coun.
sells; It is puzzled by the apparent
contradictions Of his course. Reset
by rumors, melted by interested agen.
cies, affected by local and passing
conditions, 1t gave way to its worst
tendencies and virtually sought to
seize by force what Is denied to It by
law. It thought 10 take out Of the
Presidents hands the control Of our
foreign policy, and apply to the situa.
ton remedies 1t conceives to be bet.
ter than those he has adopted.
It II useless to speculate at length
On what might have been the situa-
tion had Congress possessed authority
TO call Secretary LANSING before It
and confer with him. The eruption In
Congress will certainly be interpreted
abroad In the manner most comfort.
ing to each commentator. But It must
BE- recognized that the management OF
our controversies with foreign Pow
ers. however badly they may be man,
sxed by one man and his few advisers
would be worse managed IL submitted
To the vagaries Of 533 Senators and
Representatives. What IL now I'm