The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-20
THE DIVERGENT OPINIONS

The one thing as a source of irrita- tion has led to the other. Congress feels that it should hesitate to make the Pres ident virtual dictator even in time of war. The President is apparently peeved in that Congress would deny him ple- nary power.
 Among the conservative members of Congress, there has been doubt as to the exact course they should pursue On account of this doubt, some opposed con scription. Many opposed, and defea ted. the censorship provision of the espion- age bill which would have given the President authority in excess of that possessed by the law. Many are now opposing the drastic agricultural bill which would make the President dictator Of crop growing and distribution. The revenue bill, unscientific in it's efforts lndlscriminately to raise money by a hor- lzontal increase in existing tariff duties, vii VIII De torn to pieces, 1t is indicated even oerore 1t reaches the Senate
 At the same time there is a power- ful force in Congress which believes that the administration, in the existing emergency, should be given all the au- thorty it desires. This force is sepa- rate and distinct from that known hith- erto as the administrative following" following which, incidentally, on the present shoals has gone practically to
 
 admlnistration, even though in many in- stances, proceeding unwisely, is responsi- Die for the successful issue of the Ger man war, and should be given all au- thority which it deems necessary that it possess
 THE WORLDS STRUCTURES
 on the other hand, certain leaders de- clare that If Congress must instantly do what the Presto 7nt demands, there is no need of Congress. Congress should re- tire and permit the President to assume dictatorial powers Leader Kitchin. while not necessarily aligned with this school, has displayed little disposition to drive the House rapidly toward the completion of war legislation. and as a result has stirred up administration re- sentiment. kitchin is a strong and con- scientious man. He is unfortunate. however in that he succeeded as leader one Of the poise and conciliatory at tributes of Senator Underwood
 Regarding this criticism, the New York World, probably expressing the thought or the administration, printed the follow ing:
 Many explanations are advanced by senators and representatives in both par tles for the conditions existing in the two Houses. aThe most important and generally accepted reason is the lack of leadership of tn eparty in control of the House, and the failure of men upon whom the responsibility for the progress Of legislation naturally falls. to provide an intelligent plan of action. Even the personal friends of Representative hitchin do not claim for him the qualities Of leadership so manifest during the ad- n1ihistration of Oscar Underwood, now Tn the Senate.
 On most of the big war issues MT. kitchin has been against the administra- tlon. He has frequently been in open an- tasonism to President Wilson and the government since the elimination of par tisan lines iD dealing with war prob fems. With comparatively small ele- ment, largely made up of the southern members, MT. Etitchn is personally popu- lar, but with the majority of democrats of the lower House he has little, if any, actual influence.
 Speaker Clark. upon whom the lead ership naturally devolves, has protected k1tchin from the attacks of his party colleagues and has frequently thrown the balance of his power on the side of the titular leader, and not always success fully
 REPUBLICANS ORGANIZED
 The republicans are very much better organized than the democrats in khe lower. House, and have, in several in- SAdiiSSS, pIONiueu u larger numDef Ot votes to support the war policies of the President
 1.-TWO thirds of the debates over the war esoution, the liberty loan bond bill and the selective draft measure were con tributed by democrats. Up to date, pretty nearly every contribution to the discussion of the war revenue bill has been provided by the democrats.
 The democrats in the House permit ted the rejection or the conference re- port on the selectiye draft bill and in- the conferees to insist upon the retention in the measure of the Harding exploiting the Roosevelt vol unteer proposition, despite the fact that tie House itself had rejected the project when originally proposed.
 BLAME KITCHEN AND CLARK
 This reversal of form was due en- tirely, according to the view of the most men in the government serv- ice. to the lack of leadership in the uomi- nant party. These men declare that there is not the slightest doubt that the confer ence report on the selective draft bill would have been accepted minus the Roosevelt proposition if Speaker Clark and MT. kitchn had exercised their func- tions, which they would have done had they been in sympathy with the pur- poses of the government.
 "Other instances are pointed out by his