The Washington times., 1917-10-06

MED the citizens OF this country Is a
fact the tremendous significance of
which those in authority have not
yet begun to appreciate.
Suppose you succeed in sitting
all discussion OF the issues of the
war, of the terms upon which, II
should be concluded. the objects and
purposes to be accomplished by It,
and concede the demand of the war
mad press and the war extremists
that they monopolize the right of
public utterance upon those Ques-
tions, unchaIlenged, what think you
would be the consequences to this
country, not only during the war, but
after the war?
Cites Paris Conference.
81 cite just one instance in the
present war. The entente allies as
sembled at the Paris conference with
the war fever at white heat. They
entered into q compact OF commercial
vengeance to be executed against the
central powers after peace shall be
declared.
81 believe no single act has done so
much to solidify the resistance of the
central powers and secure the deter
mined support of their peoples as this
one act. The people OF the central
powers reason that II they are to face
commercial slavery after the war,
they may as well die lighting"
LaFollette said that any man who
seeks to limit the right of the people
to make their will known to the gov
ernment between elections, by
speeches, writings or petitions "aims
q blow at the most vital part Of our
Government"
He quoted from the speeches and
writings Of Lincoln, Clay, Webster
and Sumner to show their vigorous
public opposition to the Mexican war,
and to President Folks attitude and
policies.
Lincoln, Webster, Clay, Sumner"
said La Toilette; what a galaxy Of
names in American history. They all
believed and asserted and advocated
In the midst OF war that II was the
constitutional right and the patriotic
duty OF American citizens, after the
declaration Of war, and while the war
was in progress. to discuss the issues
of the war and to criticise the poll
cies employed in its prosecution and
to work for election OF representa-
tives opposed to prolonging the war.
1.-The right of these men is exactly
the same as possessed by every Amer
lean citizen today in respect to the
war in which We are now engaged"
Quotes Lloyd George.
Quoting Lloyd George, La Toilette
showed that he had opposed the Boer
war, both before and after its be-
ginning; he showed how Chatham
and Burke opposed the war on the
American colonies, quoting, he said, |
"to show that the principle OF free
speech was no new doctrine born OF
the Constitution OF the United States"
La Toilette then launched into a
criticism of Congress for failing to
exercise its power to declare the pur-
pose and objects OF the war"
81 believe that had Congress ex-
ercised this power, we could, and
probably would have avoided the /
present war" continued La Toilette.
"I believe that IL we are TO extri-
cate ourselves from this war, and
restore this country to an honorable
and lasting peace. Congress must ex-
ercise in full the war powers entrust-
ed to It by the constitution"
He asserted that Congress has al
lowed the President to abrogate pow
ers not vested IN him. Quoting the
provision for Congress
sionaI regulation OF commerce, he
said:
To-day the President is regulating
commerce with foreign nations un-
der an attempted delegation of power
from Congress. and regulating 1t in
such q way as to involve US in seri-
Gus difficulty, IL not actual war with
Holland and the Scandinavian coun-
tries.
"The only power relating to war
with which the Executive was en-
trusted by the Constitution was that
of acting as commander-in-chief OF
the army and navy. His function is
purely military.
"The President, under his Constitu-
tional authority, gets no power to de-
clare the objects and purposes OF any
war in which the country may be en-
gagged.
1.-The President can no more make
q treaty of peace without the ap-
proval OF the Senate than he can ap-
point a Judge of the Supreme Court
without concurrence OF the Senate.
1 commend this thought to those gen
tlemen both in and out of public Of
fce, who condemn all efforts either
by the people or their representatives
in Congress to discuss terms OF peace.
or who even venture to suggest that
q peace is not desirable until such
time as the President, acting solely
on his own responsibility, shall de-
clare for peace.
at is a strange doctrine we hear
these days, that the mass Of the peo-
pie who pay in money, misery. and
blood all the costs OF this war. out
Of which a favored few profit so
largely. may not freely and publicly
terms of peace"
Preeedents From History.
Precedents from American history,
the right OF Congress to
determine when and upon what terms