The Lamar register., 1917-08-08
The Joint Congressional Committee

Washington, July 6.-The Rcpubli-
can Publicity Association, through its
president, Hen. Jonathan Bourne, Jr.,
today gave cut the following S,ato-
ment at its Washington headquarters.
president Wilson's objection to the
creation of a joint congressional com
mittee on war expenditures, with
majority of that committee composed
of members Of his own party, is based
on the false assumption that tbs Is
his war, that he is responsible for its et
ficicnt management, ard that he alone
is infallible. With equal reason
president of a corporation, as soon a
elected, might say we will abolish our
constitution and bylaws and disqual-
ify all the beard of directors IS soon
as they have delegated to me all their
powers and voted nc the right TO ex-
pend all the assets of the corporation.
president Wilson is undoubtedly
correct in the assertion that creation
of such a committee could be inter
preted only as { lack of confidence in
the executive. The fact is t,.Ss our
system of government, providing as it
does for three coordinate branches,
is in itself cn expression of lack of
confidence in the executive acting
alone. Throughout the world today,
there is lack of confidence in dictators.
"The creation of a joint congress
sional committee cn war expand- cures
is not necessarily al expression OF
lack Of confidence in the presidents
integrity, but it indicates lack of con-
fidence in the ability of any one man
to conduct the affairs of grcas gov
ernment such as this when involved
in the greatest war in history. 1t is
automatic that contradiction Of power
in an Individual can Only result in op-
orations commensurate with The in
dividuals integrity, ability ard cxper-
ience. The record of the Wilson ad-
ministration to date fully justifieS lack
of confidence In time of war, as in
time of peace, his administrator, has
been partisan, sectional, vascillating
and Inefficient To put more ships on
the seas is the pressing Leed Of the
hour Although the act creating thf
shipping board was passed last Sep
tember, that board, selected by thc
president after three months delay
has been wasting its energies by strife
among its members. At the outset
Of our participation in the war, the
president delayed urgent legislation by
pressing his demand for a needless
throttling of the press. lnexperienc-
ed if not incompetent men arc retain
ed in his cabinet. Partisan service
figures more than experience in tn
most recent of important appoint
ments.
But it is needless to enumerato In
stances pertinent to the issue of lack
of confidence. Congress gets 1t. cE
istence, its powers and its response
bilitics from the same constitution
that created the office of president
Members of the senate and house are
the only officers chosen by diTcc: vote
of the people. They are charged with
responsibility for raising armies, pro-
viding revenue and authorizing cx-
penditures. 1t is not only their right
but their duty to see that funds are
effectively spent in accordance with
law
"Creation of the joint committee in
wolves vastly more than the question
of confidence in the president. 1t in
wolves the very fundamentals of de-
mocracy. The war is direct out
growth of centralized powers III exc
cutiyes. If the legislative body in