New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-21
Call the New Congress Together
MIR. President

Capitalization of authority in time OF
emergency is highly desirable. If we fight
Germany, there will be an enormous con-
centration of power in President wilson's
hands, just as there was in President LIN
coins hands during the Civil War. Our
form of government lends itself much bet
ter than the British or French parliament
tary form of government does to this eX-
mansion Of the functions of the Executive.
In peace an American President over
shadows Congress. In war he becomes
automatically almost dictator
Nevertheless, until war is declared Con-
rress ought not to be expected to efface
itself. The right to declare war rests with
it. 1t should not be asked to divest itself
of a constitutional responsibility through
the device of giving the President contin-
gent authority to take steps in its absence
which will be equivalent to waging war.
And even in case state of war IS recog-
pized or created by Executive action-Con-
gress having abdicated its powers in favor
IF the President-there must arise an I'M
mediate need of legislation to put the coun-
try into a proper state of preparedness.
The present Congress has failed shame
fully to provide for the defence of the ma
ton. 1t seems to be incapable of taking
rational interest in that problem. Its days
are now numbered. 1t is averse to doing
ANYTHING which will involve real effort
of the will or the intelligence. 1t hopes
only to round out with the least possible
exertion its inglorious career of side-step-
ping and avoidance.
The country viii see this Congress ad-
journ with sigh of relief. 1t has been
bitter disappointment. The voters repudl-
ated il by wiping out the Democratic ma
iority in the House of Representatives,
although they reelected Mr.. Wilson Presi-
dent. We shall have new Congress after
the end of next week. 1t cannot possibly be
as bad as the present Congress. 1t may
stand far higher than its predecessor IN
intelligence, public spirit and patriotism.
1t ought TO have a chance. 1t ought to be
allowed to contribute, in so far as it is
ready to contribute, to the arming Of the
nation and the maintenance Of American
rights.
In our opinion the President would do
better to appeal to the new Congress for
support for his policies than to take con-
tingent deathbed grant Of power from the
present Congress and then try to get along
without calling the new Congress in extra
session. Whatever course our quarrel with
Germany may take, we need to create a
real army without any delay, and such an
army cannot be regularly or satisfactorily
created except by statute.
The President has just ordered an APP
rraisement Of the condition of the regular
establishment, with a view to recommend
ing some hurried amendatory legislation
by this Congress. But this Congress is not
in the mood to do anything beyond petty
tinkering with our present military sys-
TEN. 1t has turned down even the denat-
ured Chamberlain universal training bill.
II is useless to rely on it for legislation
looking to the introduction of universal
service and the development of truly ma
tional army.
The new Congress comes fresh from the
people. 1t ought to have an opportunity
to demonstrate what it is willing to do and
what it is capable of doing. 1t ought to
have hand in shaping our national poll
cies in this crisis. 1t can hardly fail to
show more vigor and a more aroused spirit
of Americanism than the outgoing Con-
yress has shown. There is urgent work
for it TO DO. It's presence in Washington
may be a stimulus TO patriotic action.
One of the gravest blunders in Mr.. Will
sons German policy was his failure to call
Congress in extra session after the sinking
Of the Lusitania That failure was inter
preted by Germany as showing an unwiil
ingness on our part 20 defend our rights
A similar blunder should not be made now
A call for an extra session Of the new
Congress should be issued at once.